chickens sleeping in nest boxes

[tryingtohaveitall]

Since it's gotten colder, some of the ladies have decided to sleep in the boxes which means the eggs have poo all over them.

When I go out to lock them up, I remove them and put them back on the roost but my young boys don't always do this. Any other suggestions? I hate to block off the boxes since I'm afraid they'd start to lay on the floor. What advice do you have?

 

[momreda]

we are having the same problem and we are just washing the eggs. Our older birds wont let the younger ones up on the roosts so they huddle in the boxes to stay warm. I am just letting them be but if this wrong could someone tell me why other than of course that I have to clean my eggs.

 

[Opa]

I have a piece of tarp that I hang over the nest boxes at night. Of course I must check the birds early to remove it. Alot of hassle but still preferable to cleaning eggs and nest boxes.

 

[chuckzoo]

I started having the same problem and now I put a pear box in the bottom of the nesting box so it's uncomforable to sit on and then I remove it in the morning. Any type cardboard box will work as long as they can't sit on it.

 

[LRG]

Have the same problem, but only with the one that hasn't started to lay yet. My layers all roost on the bar. I've tried putting up curtains, but she pulls them down. We put her back on the roost every night, but she invariably ends up back in the nest box. She always picks the same nest box and I end up just shoveling out her droppings every morning so we don't have poopy eggs. I'm hoping that once she starts laying (if she ever does) she will then start using the roost bar. Maybe it all has to do with her being a late bloomer more so than the cold?

 

[briteday]

I've been putting feed bowls upside down in the nest boxes to prevent any of the hens from sleeping in them. I get out there about 6am before they lay so I just take the bowls out when I open the doors and fill the water.

 

[jetto]

yep I have a cardboard box i stick in the nest box so they can't crowd in there to sleep...and the roosts are higher than the nest box- but they prefer the nest box....nothing like seeing 4 chickens trying to cram into one nesting box- course part of the Jersey Giant was sticking out into the rest of the hutch...

When i go out at 5 something to water I take the box out of the nest box and it stays nice and clean that way. Kristi