chickens sleeping in the brooding boxes

[troutlakearts]

HELP, we are new to chickens. We have 6 pullets soon to be 6 months old. We got them about 3.5 months ago and we were told they were 2 months at the time. When we first got them, they were sleeping on the roost we had built in the coop. About 3 weeks ago we discovered they were sleeping in the 2 brooding nests we have. We read on another posting that someone was having the same problem and decided to raise the roosting bar and close up the brooding nest. Tonight, once it was dark, we went to check on them, and all 6 of them were in the one brooding nest. They haven't started to lay yet. Should we close the other nest?? And for how long? We have placed golf balls in the nests, but they keep moving them out of the way, and keep sleeping & pooping there! Any comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

 

[gritsar]

Close off the other nest. You may have to go in for a few nights in a row and move them to the roosts before they get the idea.
Using a penlight works great for this because it gives you enough light to see, but not enough light for them to get up and start moving around.

 

[troutlakearts]

Thanks for the fast reply. We will try closing the other nest tomorrow and see how that goes!

 

[cmom]

I put milk crates in my nests at night and took them out in the mornings for a few days. Also it helps if the roosts are a little higher than the nests. They tend to go up to the highest point they can so if the roosts are a little higher they should go onto the roosts.

 

[troutlakearts]

Well, we tried the suggestions and it worked! We raised the roosts to a level above the brooding nests & closed off the nests. Then we moved our 6 hens to the roosts 2 nights in a row. After that they just automatically went to the roosts and we were able to leave the nests open. We now have gotten 13 "poopless" eggs! Thanks!