chickens sleeping in nesting box?

[chickensss]

ok so I have 7 hens and 1 rooster and they're all about 4, 4 1/2 months old. when I go to close them up in their coop for the night, they r all sleeping in the nesting boxes! rnt they suppose to be sleeping on the roosts inside the coop?

please help! nesting boxes r for laying, not for sleeping!

 

[welasharon]

block the area off so they can't get in till they get used to roosting

 

[dumplingirl]

no don't do what she said it is normal mine did that I have32 and they all would get in one box soon they will get over it they just like the warmth

 

[welasharon]

You don't want them getting in the habit of sleeping in the nesting boxes. They will then get poop on the eggs. You block the area off and get them used to roosting and then you can uncover it when they are getting to the point of laying. How high are the roosts? You may have to put them up there a time or two.

 

[aart]

You don't want them getting in the habit of sleeping in the nesting boxes. They will then get poop on the eggs. You block the area off and get them used to roosting and then you can uncover it when they are getting to the point of laying. How high are the roosts? You may have to put them up there a time or two.

Ditto^^^^^

 

[Amykins]

Sorry, but gotta go with Wela on this. You gotta nip this behavior in the bud while they're still young. They need to learn where they can and cannot roost. I trust the 4-year forum veteran and chicken mama.

 

[krista74]

Are your nesting boxes located lower in the coop than your roosts? They will always go to the highest place they can to sleep!

I agree with the others - they cannot be sleeping in the nest boxes.

Try and pick them up one by one under the cover of darkness and place them on the roost.

You might have to do it a few nights in a row, but they will get the hang of it.

- Krista

 

[chickensss]

@krista74 the roosts r a bit higher than the nesting boxes, so I think I'm just going to block off the nesting boxes with cardboard so they r forced to sleep on the floor or roosts

 

[welasharon]

You may have to put one or two up there to help them the idea.

 

[jentralala]

Mine tried the sleep on the floor the first few nights, but I wanted them to use to roosts (I didn't spend all that time building a poop board for nothing!) so all I had to do was pick them up in the evenings and place them on the roosts. I only had to do it 3 times. (twice the first night, once the second) It's easy, and gets them into the habit quick.