chickens sleeping in nesting box

[Emily_loveschickens]

hi everyone, i have four chicks that are going to start laying soon so i opens there nesting box. the problem is that they are sleeping in it. what should i do? thanks. also i have roosts higher than the boxes.

 

[hannah and the chickens]

Hi!
Some of my chickens like to sleep in the nesting box, too. In my experience, closing the entrance to the boxes for a few nights teaches them to choose a different sleeping spot. Do your chickens use the roosting bar at any time during the day or night? Some of my chickens, who grew up at the breeder's without roosting bars, still prefer to sleep laying down on the ground or on the board that I installed underneath the roosting bar.

 

[suburbanfarmermi]

hi everyone, i have four chicks that are going to start laying soon so i opens there nesting box. the problem is that they are sleeping in it. what should i do? thanks. also i have roosts higher than the boxes.

So we’re they using the roost prior to you opening up the boxes?

Wonder if you should close them back up till you see your first egg. We kept ours closed till we saw our first egg. Of course then what if they keep doing it.

good luck.

 

[aart]

hi everyone, i have four chicks that are going to start laying soon so i opens there nesting box. the problem is that they are sleeping in it. what should i do? thanks. also i have roosts higher than the boxes.

Post pics for roosts and nests?

I rigged a hinged cover, works great!
Close cover an hour before roosting time, open back up when I lock up after dark.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yes, photos of the coop showing the nests, roosts, and how they all tie together could really help. It's hard to give specific suggestions unless we know what you are working with. How old are those chicks? Do you have any older chickens in there? What is the history, how long have they been sleeping in the nest and where were they sleeping before? Are all four sleeping in that nest? Is there anything special about the chicks, such as are they Silkies that can't fly? Do they have enough clear space so they can spread their wings and fly up and down? What kind of access do you have to the coop? Can you walk in or do you have to reach in?

I know it's a lot of questions but the more we know the more likely we can help. With the roost higher than the nests they should not be sleeping in the nests but they are. We need to try to figure out why so you can fix it.

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

ok ill get pics today