Ok - I have 6 hens who are about 10 weeks old. This is my first time raising chicks so I have no idea what to expect. When I moved them from their brooder box to their outdoor coop about 5 1/2 weeks ago, they right away began sleeping in the inside portion of their coop, but within the first week or two they all climb into the two nesting boxes to sleep. I did not even put any bedding in there at first because I didn't want to encourage them to be there. They have roosting posts in the enclosed coop area but they don't use them. The coop was a kit and the roosting poles are squared at the top and seem a bit unstable (they wobble back and forth a little bit) so I am thinking about changing them out so they are more rounded and stable. Any ideas on why the chicks are sleeping in the nesting boxes and how to get them not to sleep in there before the eggs start coming and they squish them all?
Block off the nest boxes. They should only use the nests for laying. If the roost in them they will get them dirty with poop. Make sure the roosts are higher than the nests. They usually roost in the highest spot they can. Good luck Imp ETA- Welcome to BYC
Agreed. Block off the nest boxes until they are at least 17 weeks of age, maybe later. My youngest layer laid when she was 19 weeks, so you never know. Also, if they get too comfortable in the nest boxes they will sleep, and poop in there, and not lay their eggs there. Once they're of laying age, they'll figure it out if you put some fake eggs (or golfballs) in the nest boxes.
