Do I have to do this forever???

[JENx]

I posted here a month ago that my 3 ex-battery hens were sleeping in their nesting boxes. As suggested i have been blocking off the nest boxes in the afternoon and after dark i've been lifting them onto the perch to roost. One is uausally up but i lift the others. Everyone thinks i'm mad!

Anyway, i forgot to put the board to block off the nest boxes today, i've just been out and they were all snuggled up in the nest boxes!!! Will they ever get it?! Will i have to do this forever??

 

[Whispering Winds]

Did they have to do this when they were battered? Old habits die hard. Do they lay in the boxes too?

 

[JENx]

I guess they slept and laid in the same place, i was told they don't use the perch because they've never seen one and they would get the idea in a couple of weeks if i showed them!

 

[CARS]

Why are you trying to change their habits? Is there a reason why you don't want them in the boxes?? (I'm curious)

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Quote:
I tend to agree. If you have the room, let them be. If one is laying maybe she will shoo the others away and they will roost.
If you don't have the room, keep doing what you are and maybe they will get it. If not, don't worry your hens are not the only ones with strange habits, I'm sure.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

Quote:

I'm curious too.

 

[JAMcG]

I have a couple hens that do the same thing, insist on sleeping in their egg-laying boxes. These were chicks I ordered from a hatchery, and were raised all the same and free-range during the day. Out of a dozen hens, 2 of them want to sleep in the boxes at night, so what I ended up doing was putting some ground up corn-cob bedding in the box, about 2 inches deep, and every day I use a cat litter scoop to clean up the chicken poop so they have a nice clean place to lay their eggs. I know, it's a pain to do but it takes a quick couple seconds and is part of my routine now!

 

[fiberart57]

My neighbor had the same problem and ended up just installing a new nest box because one chicken wasn't allowed by the others to nest with them so she slept in the box.

Are their roosts significantly higher than the nest boxes? By significantly, I would say at least 12 inches. Chickens want to roost at the highest point they can so this may help. Also, perhaps the coop itself is too cold and they are cuddling to keep warm.

You could get them another nest box that they can use to lay eggs. Many people here use covered kitty litter pans filled with shavings and the like and leave them on the floor. This way they can continue to sleep in the nest box as before yet you'll have clean eggs in the litter box.

Good luck, Mary

 

[Uzuri]

Henry'schickens :

Quote:
I tend to agree. If you have the room, let them be. If one is laying maybe she will shoo the others away and they will roost.
If you don't have the room, keep doing what you are and maybe they will get it. If not, don't worry your hens are not the only ones with strange habits, I'm sure.

Generally because you end up with filthy eggs that way.​

 

[JAMcG]

Forgot to add, I'm sure the reason you dont' want them sleeping in their box is the mess left behind, and it's no fun gathering a poo-covered egg!