So I've been combating this for a while, and I go through problem free stretches followed by annoyingly problem filled time. My birds keep dirty nests. At times I could clean them once a month and they'd never get an egg dirty, but then there's times I could clean them every single day and my eggs would come out caked. Any hints on what I'm doing wrong? The nests are on the ground right now (have been since I brought them home, mind you) and have no outer roost spots they can set in. They soil them while in the nests. Thanks for any advice!
I'm assuming you don't allow them to sleep in the nests. You might have to block the nests at night at least for a while if they do. I wonder if they are in the nests for warmth. Perhaps if you increased the amount of hay/pine shavings/whatever on the coop floor, they would snuggle down into it. If you have the space, you could make a couple of attractive fluffy corners for them, or even put a square bale of hay, loosened, in there for them. Mine like to get behind the garbage cans that hold feed and into other small corners. I would check for any drafts in the lower parts of the coop.
