First winter - chickens changing up behavior

[Korzak]

So this is our first year with chickens, six hens. They were very happy in summer and fall, and took very well to their roosting bar and their nesting boxes. They tried laying in the hen house a few times, but we just removed the eggs and out them in the nest boxes, and the chickens figured it out.

Now that it's winter, at least one hen is sleeping/pooping in one of the three nesting boxes. Some hens are also going back to laying eggs in the hen house, amidst the pine shavings and leaves. I will notice that there are no eggs in the next boxes, and then open up the back of the hen house, and find a nest they made on the floor with a few eggs in it.

Is this something they are doing because of the cold, or some other reason? They were using the nest boxes perfectly before winter, so this is frustrating.

Thanks!!

 

[gonehencrazy]

So this is our first year with chickens, six hens.  They were very happy in summer and fall, and took very well to their roosting bar and their nesting boxes.  They tried laying in the hen house a few times, but we just removed the eggs and out them in the nest boxes, and the chickens figured it out.




Now that it's winter, at least one hen is sleeping/pooping in one of the three nesting boxes.  Some hens are also going back to laying eggs in the hen house, amidst the pine shavings and leaves.  I will notice that there are no eggs in the next boxes, and then open up the back of the hen house, and find a nest they made on the floor with a few eggs in it.

Is this something they are doing because of the cold, or some other reason?  They were using the nest boxes perfectly before winter, so this is frustrating.

Thanks!!

Do they have enough outside area to reduce boredom? I have a couple sleeping in nesting boxes because they get picked on. Also when it was super cold some slept in boxes or on the floor. Make sure you don't have a cold draft across their roosting area.

 

[Korzak]

Their hen house is 4'x8' and the run they are in is 12' x 8', so I would say yes.