Girls kicking bedding out of nest - what to do?

[classicsredone]

We have our girls in an ark-style tractor with two nests up top. The girls just started laying recently, and they're kicking all of the shavings out of the nest. The newest layer is particularly bad about it, and when she lays, the eggs are getting cracked on the wood bottom of the nest. Is there anything I can put on the bottom to prevent the eggs from cracking when they are nesting? Something better to use in the nest box? Thank you!

 

[SIMPleChick]

LOL! I was woried about the same thing, they push much of the pine shavings out and I was afraid of the egg cracking on the bottom of the box so I broke down and bought a bale of straw and they love it. The way in weaves around it self, it keeps more intact and they actually REALLY like it, they will pick all the straw from the box next to them to put in the one they are in before they lay. So I have 50/50 shavings and straw and will phase out the shavings. They really like the straw, so I will give in a make yet another purchase for them....LOL! All for the safety of a tiny little brown speckled egg that is just adorable!!! And yummy!!!

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I use Tipton hay for my nest boxes cause thats what the horses are eating at this time. I don't dare give them the brown stuff you get in the winter. They won't use the boxes. Spoiled chickens.

 

[ChicKat]

Saw where some folks glued old carpet in the very bottom of the nest box to make padding that the chickens cannot shove out.

Mine shove out shavings too. I bet that they aren't that comfortable, and the chickens know what they want and don't want.

 

[classicsredone]

Quote:
Ahh okay. We definitely could get a bale of straw. One of the girls was trying to sit on her eggs, and would steal the fake eggs we put in the nests. Those had to be packed up.

Update - My husband bought rubber floor mats that he's going to cut to fit. I figure it is worth a shot, and if not, we'll go get some straw tomorrow.

 

[MakNugget]

You may need to increase the lip size, holding in the shavings. I have a 3-4" lip which holds a generous amount of shavings for them to kick about or settle into.