Dreammaker
Songster
Hello!
Has anyone had success training a pullet (4-5 months old) to sleep on the roost instead of the nesting box without blocking off the nesting box?
Here's our setup for context:
Flock: 6 pullets 16-20 weeks old (approximately), mixed breeds. Pullet in question is an ISA Brown. None laying just yet.
Henhouse: 5x6 house with two-tier roosting bars. Roost space is approx. 9 linear feet. Made of 2x4s with broad side facing up.
Nesting Boxes: At or below level of lowest roosting bar, across from roost (so, on opposite side of coop). 4 12" cubes, filled with straw.
Door: Automatic door set to open at 7 AM, close at 7 PM.
Situation: ISA Brown is near top of pecking order and is becoming redder and more outgoing and vocal, but not laying yet. I suspect that's maybe 2-4 weeks away, possibly longer because of shortening days. She is the only one who favors sleeping in the box. The others all roost in the same position every night. ISA Brown was doing great after a couple weeks training (physically nudging her out of the box after dusk and she'd then roost on her own). She was at the point where I'd just knock on the nesting box or undo the carabiner and she'd know the drill... haha Within the last few days, she has started hopping up to roost and at some point during the night or early AM, makes her way back to the nesting box. I check at about 10 AM each day to find several droppings. I'm not sure how she'd get there once it's dark. Little bugger probably waits until I've walked back to the house after "tucking her in..." I would be thrilled if this was a sign of impending eggs! I'd rather not block off the nesting boxes, since it'd be a bit of inconvenience and because I'm not sure if/when any of them will lay. I wouldn't want to block it off and ta da, they've laid an egg outside the box and have started a new bad habit I'd have to break. But, I admit that cleaning the boxes is a pain...
Questions: Do I suck it up and block off the nesting boxes? If so, how do I know when to remove the barrier? Can I use cardboard or do I need to use wood, as they could peck and eat cardboard? Do fake eggs deter sleeping in nesting boxes?
Has anyone had success training a pullet (4-5 months old) to sleep on the roost instead of the nesting box without blocking off the nesting box?
Here's our setup for context:
Flock: 6 pullets 16-20 weeks old (approximately), mixed breeds. Pullet in question is an ISA Brown. None laying just yet.
Henhouse: 5x6 house with two-tier roosting bars. Roost space is approx. 9 linear feet. Made of 2x4s with broad side facing up.
Nesting Boxes: At or below level of lowest roosting bar, across from roost (so, on opposite side of coop). 4 12" cubes, filled with straw.
Door: Automatic door set to open at 7 AM, close at 7 PM.
Situation: ISA Brown is near top of pecking order and is becoming redder and more outgoing and vocal, but not laying yet. I suspect that's maybe 2-4 weeks away, possibly longer because of shortening days. She is the only one who favors sleeping in the box. The others all roost in the same position every night. ISA Brown was doing great after a couple weeks training (physically nudging her out of the box after dusk and she'd then roost on her own). She was at the point where I'd just knock on the nesting box or undo the carabiner and she'd know the drill... haha Within the last few days, she has started hopping up to roost and at some point during the night or early AM, makes her way back to the nesting box. I check at about 10 AM each day to find several droppings. I'm not sure how she'd get there once it's dark. Little bugger probably waits until I've walked back to the house after "tucking her in..." I would be thrilled if this was a sign of impending eggs! I'd rather not block off the nesting boxes, since it'd be a bit of inconvenience and because I'm not sure if/when any of them will lay. I wouldn't want to block it off and ta da, they've laid an egg outside the box and have started a new bad habit I'd have to break. But, I admit that cleaning the boxes is a pain...
Questions: Do I suck it up and block off the nesting boxes? If so, how do I know when to remove the barrier? Can I use cardboard or do I need to use wood, as they could peck and eat cardboard? Do fake eggs deter sleeping in nesting boxes?