Girls haven’t been in Nest Boxes

[jlebows]

First timer. I’m worried that the girls (almost 17 weeks) don’t like their best boxes or find them hard to access because I have never seen them in or evidence of them exploring them. Is this normal? I’ll include a picture. The boxes are 12x12. I think they look awkward to get in, my father says it’s fine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How high off the ground is that? Ideally you'd want to give them a perch to land on for easier access.

 

[jlebows]

How high off the ground is that? Ideally you'd want to give them a perch to land on for easier access.

Around 16 inches off the floor.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I agree you need a perch for them to land on so that they easily can walk into the nesting boxes. You can do one long perch instead of two separate perches.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I agree with the above, adding a perch might really help.

 

[aart]

Yes, perch about 8" out from the front bottom....
...oh and a higher front lip(4-6").

 

[Ridgerunner]

What size board do you have going across the bottom of the nests, how thick? 3/4" thick? 1-1/2"? That's your perch. Mine have no problems hopping/flying up more than twice your 16" and they use 1/2" thick plywood to land on. No perches, just the plywood that forms the nests. They just sort of land on it and step on in in one motion.

I don't for a minute think that perches are the problem. Those pullets are 17 weeks old. Mine show no interest at all in the nests until they are about ready to lay. About a week before they lay some start to look for a good place that will make a nest. That's when they scratch around in there, to check them out. Your problem is that they are not ready to lay.

I can't tell how high that board across the bottom of the nests are. It may or not be high enough to keep them from scratching out bedding, fake eggs, or real eggs. If you start to find bedding on the coop floor that's a good sign it isn't high enough. Those may be fine the way they are. Time will tell.

With that kind of nest, if you feel you need to put a perch, just fasten a 2x4 across the bottom. You can use it to raise the lip a bit. Mine sleep on a 2x4 narrow side up. That gives you a 1-1/2"wide perch, plenty for them to land on.

 

[aart]

I don't for a minute think that perches are the problem.

Probably not, and no not totally necessary, but they are good to have.

 

[jlebows]

I also worry that these 12x12 boxes are too small, especially if I add a lip to the front. Do chickens like to be that tightly confined when nesting?

 

[Ridgerunner]

You are talking about chickens? Not turkeys?

The general recommendation for chickens is a 12" x 12" x 12" tall. These are big enough for any chicken. I once used a cat litter bucket that had top measurements of 7-1/2" x 11-1/2" . It was big enough for dual purpose hens to lay but didn't work out well for hatching. Should have been bigger for hatching. It was about 4' off the coop floor and had no perch for what that is worth.

You are stressing yourself out about something that isn't that important. I'e seen hens hide nests in tight places you wouldn't think they could even get in. Those nests are fine, they easily meet the minimum requirements. As I said before, my only concern is if that lip is high enough. Time will tell on that and it is a very easy fix.