Chickens roosting in box, will they lay

[2txmedics]

I have a 5x10 coop, with 4 nest boxes, and a 10x10 kennel attached to the front of the coop, with chicken wire mid height. We have 12 hens, 3 roosters, and 2 Porceline D'Uccle The Bantams were given to us, as they couldnt keep them, and we have them in a large dog kennel in the hen area. We have had them 1 1/2weeks like this, took them out yesterday and all the chickens went after them and appeared to be attacking them? How long will this go on? we put them back in the kennel seperate for safety but in the hen area. Will they not ever get along???? HELP!!! I need to know if I need to built a seperate house for them. My other chickens are: Marans, Leghorns, Production Reds, and Amercaunas.
Next question. We have only one box that 3 hens are laying in, they just started to lay a couple of weeks ago, and the other boxes, the roost in!!! I read somewhere that once they start to roost, and poop in those next boxes they will NOT lay eggs in there. Is this true? If so, can I close off the hen house do a bleaching, and wash out the boxes? I put 4 nest boxes to give them room. We built the coop/hen house about 3mos ago, out of used fencing, but its very nice.

Please help, we are new to this and bought our chickens when they were 5wks old, and raised them. I also read somewhere and I dont recall where that My Por. D'Uccle need bacon rind? once in a while?? as they crave it.

Thanks all....

 

[TammyTX]

Mine were roosting in the nest boxes and I covered all but one with cardboard to force the birds to the roosts. Most do roost now although a couple roost on the slanted tops of the nest boxes.

As far as the pecking, others know better than I, but I think they are just establishing a "pecking order" which they will do everytime a new bird is brought in.

 

[2txmedics]

But if My chickens are starting to lay, wont I be covering there boxes they need??? I understand the pecking order...We have Parrots also, 4 of them, dogs, and cats. lol

Its just it was more like an attack!!!! they all went up to them, and wouldnt stop, even the roosters, and one we dont know if it was then or just in the jumping around, had a blood wing, tiny bit. so we locked them back up. The Bantams are the size of a football....and my others are huge compared to them!!!

Thanks!!!!

 

[lalaland]

You might have to wait longer to introduce them - and separate them with fencing so the big chickens can see the bantams- not sure if they could see them in your dog kennel - unless it was a wire kennel.

I'ld give it another week or so with them separated by chicken wire if possible. some people swear by introducing them at night - but because of the size difference, you will really have to supervise and watch carefully. If it doesn't work, you will have to keep them separate.

It is pretty typical to have your hens all prefer one box. Sometimes you can entice them into other boxes by keeping a fake egg in one, and sometimes by draping a bit of burlap to make it less open and therefore more attractive.

You can block off the nest boxes before they go to roose by putting up a barrier or putting something in the box - after a couple of weeks they'll get the idea and roost elsewhere.

never heard that about bacon rind! I'ld skip it, seems too salty to me.

 

[kcfuerst]

I think I understand that you would like the layers to lay eggs in the nests and roost someplace else where they can poo all they want without getting nests dirty. You might get some positive results by making sure that the roosting area is higher than any of the nests.

A couple fake eggs in the nests will give them the idea of what it is for, too. If roosting in the nest remains a problem, close off the nests when they go to bed and open them back up in the morning when they go out. They won't typically be laying eggs at night.

Another thought to consider here is that 3 roosters for 12 hens is too many and may cause some problems down the road. If you live in the City and feel you must have a rooster, one is sufficient for that number of hens. If all you want is eggs, then rooster isn't needed at all......unless continuous crowing makes everyone happy.

 

[2txmedics]

Ok, this is making sense now, I have example to the left of the coop...2 nest boxes, and next to those boxes are perches for roosting...so you can say kind of the same height...since they all bundle in that corner, that is probably why they are also using the box???? I cleaned out the nest box, and its 230pm here....so tonight I will close off the nest box, and in the morning open it up with golf balls in it. I will do this for some wks.

As to the roosters...we bought them all as babies and then BOOM...we had 3 roosters....then this woman couldnt keep her bantams also roosters...we took over them. I love when they crow!!! so far no problems with the roosters, other than all the chickents DO NOT LIKE OR SEEM TO LIKE THE NEW BANTAMS....also roosters born March 18, 09. The rest are 20wks old.

Thanks everyone Im so glad I found this forum!!!!!

 

[Dirt Road]

If I understand you correctly, you are trying to add two bantam roosters to a fairly small pen which already has too many roosters. I'd have to suggest you either get rid of all the hens if you love roosters enough, or get rid of all but one of the roosters. Even if you manage to get them past the point of wanting frantically to drive out some of the competition, there will always be conflict between the roosters in that size pen. It may be subtle, but it will always be there, and the two bantams you are trying to put in will lead a miserable life. Just my opinion.

Jim