Dirty hen boxes

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Slypeeps

Slypeeps

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Whats the best way to keep the hens from pooping in the boxes? I have 10 to 12 hens and 6 boxes. Boxes are about a foot off the floor. Can't keep them clean for more than a day. Please help
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


Are they sleeping in the boxes? If so you need to block off the boxes at night. Just make sure to open them up the next morning. After a week or so of sleeping on the roost bars, they should quit sleeping in the boxes.

Also, make sure your roost bars are excessable enough. If they are not easy to get too, the birds may be choosing the easier route and sleeping in the boxes.

Some birds do linger in the boxes too long as they lay and leave poop. All you can do about this is clean up after them as they lay.

Good luck and welcome to our flock!
 
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TwoCrows said:
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


Are they sleeping in the boxes? If so you need to block off the boxes at night. Just make sure to open them up the next morning. After a week or so of sleeping on the roost bars, they should quit sleeping in the boxes.

Also, make sure your roost bars are excessable enough. If they are not easy to get too, the birds may be choosing the easier route and sleeping in the boxes.

Some birds do linger in the boxes too long as they lay and leave poop. All you can do about this is clean up after them as they lay.

Good luck and welcome to our flock!
Click to expand...
x2
Also make sure your roosts are positioned far enough away from the nest boxes so that poop isn't falling into them while the birds are roosting.
 
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

I agree with the advice already given. The simple answer is don't allow them to sleep in the nest boxes. And if they are roosting right next to the nests then move the boxes or roosts so droppings can't fall in. And then of course, clean the boxes as needed.
 
TwoCrows said:
...
Click to expand...
Hello there and welcome to BYC! :frow

Are they sleeping in the boxes? If so you need to block off the boxes at night. Just make sure to open them up the next morning. After a week or so of sleeping on the roost bars, they should quit sleeping in the boxes. 

Also, make sure your roost bars are excessable enough. If they are not easy to get too, the birds may be choosing the easier route and sleeping in the boxes. 

Some birds do linger in the boxes too long as they lay and leave poop. All you can do about this is clean up after them as they lay.

Good luck and welcome to our flock!
Some are sleeping in the boxes I believe. I have 2 roosts that set on the floor and 1 is an elevated bar. Should I elevate the other roosts? I can try to close the boxes at night also.
 
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The roosts should be higher than the nest boxes by at least 6 inches. A chicken's natural inclination is to get the highest point possible to roost. If raising the roosts isn't really possible, due to the coop not being tall enough, then the only option is to block off the nest boxes in the evening.
 
I have a couple roosts that are sitting on the floor. One is 3ft up that they use. A new one is around 4ft up. Is that too high? What is a maximum height for a roost? Thanks
 
There is no maximum height. A chicken's natural inclination is to roost as high as it can possibly get. Ideally, you don't want your roosts so high up in the coop, that they are getting drafts from the roofline vents. The highest roosts in my coop are about a foot and a half lower than the roofline vents, 6 feet up from the floor. I have three at that height, 1 roost at 5 feet high, and 2 at 3 feet high.
 

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