Egg boxes

[Foxinthehenhouse]

My hens are just starting to lay(i have 5) and they keep kicking all of the bedding out of the egg boxes. How do i prevent this. Because of this the first egg i found was broken in the box because there was absolutely no bedding.

Straw, they won’t kick it out!

 

[jugchoke]

Oh, but some will!

I have found that the home built, big square boxes tend to both encourage multiple hens at the same time or again, multiple roosting! That gets nasty quick!

Found some “just the right size” wicker type baskets, but they lack covering. A board over the top would just encourage more roosting.
Plastic 5 gallon buckets can be mounted at an angle, or a aboard attached at the open front to alleviate the bedding ejection problem.

You have to give them what they want while outsmarting a dumb bird at the same time. No easy task!

 

[jugchoke]

I have found that nests work best if sized for one hen. The problem is that we have different sized chickens, from various bandies to oversized giants.

The ban ties tend to sneak in beside a larger bird and then just irritate her until she gives up and goes looking elsewhere. (There will be no more banties when these are gone), although our best rooster is one. Great little guy, very protective of the flock, a true “gentleman! But had to get rid of two banty roosters this past summer, beating up the hens, total jerks!

 

[jgarner1327]

My hens are just starting to lay(i have 5) and they keep kicking all of the bedding out of the egg boxes. How do i prevent this. Because of this the first egg i found was broken in the box because there was absolutely no bedding.

I use clean straw. There must be something about the bedding they don't like. Or is it too hot in the coop.

 

[aart]

Any fixes and/or resolutions @Montanomom3 ?

 

[Montanomom3]

Any fixes and/or resolutions @Montanomom3 ?

I tried straw no dice. It’s one hen and she is kicking everything out. I have not got to make the board on front of the boxes taller yet so that is next.

 

[Montanomom3]

I use clean straw. There must be something about the bedding they don't like. Or is it too hot in the coop.

Same hen is kicking it all out and she also kicked the straw out. Coop isn’t too hot.

 

[Montanomom3]

Straw, they won’t kick it out!

It is one hen and i just tried hay and she also is kicking that out and laying eggs all over the coop and run

 

[aart]

I have not got to make the board on front of the boxes taller yet so that is next.

That'll help....it's just typical new layer behavior.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Even if you didn't have any hens kicking the bedding out, it would fall out on its own through regular use. A lip on the bottom front of the box is essential no matter what the hens do. They like to make a depression in the center of the nest, without something to hold bedding in, it will fall out.