Do you block the laying boxes for pullets that haven't started to lay yet?

[Snowyegret]

We are picking up our very first chickens today......one Red Star and two Barred Rock pullets. They are about 10 weeks old. I know they are not ready yet to lay but I thought I had read somewhere that you should block the laying boxes....is that correct? If so, when do you unblock them? Coop and run are all ready, except for this issue. Appreciate any help!!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It's really up to you. If the entire flock of birds are too young to be laying, it can be the simplest way to prevent a nest-box sleeping habit from forming and get them firmly "roost trained" before the time comes to open the nests in preparation for laying. When I have all non-layers, I will block the nests, but because my flock is generally a mixed ages flock that isn't really much of an option as I can't block the mature, laying birds out of the nests. Since the primary issue is sleeping in nest boxes, an alternate approach is to go out at roost time and remove any birds that are in the nests and place them on the roosts. After a few repititions of this they get the idea.

 

[nchls school]

We are picking up our very first chickens today......one Red Star and two Barred Rock pullets. They are about 10 weeks old. I know they are not ready yet to lay but I thought I had read somewhere that you should block the laying boxes....is that correct?  If so, when do you unblock them?  Coop and run are all ready, except for this issue.  Appreciate any help!!!

I know of no reason why the nest boxes should be blocked.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I know of no reason why the nest boxes should be blocked.

The reason is to prevent young birds, not yet laying, from developing a habit of sleeping in the nest boxes vs. roosting properly as nest box sleeping leads to heavily fouled nests due to the amount of waste expelled during the overnight hours and fouled nests are not the kind of place you want your eggs to land when they do start laying.