Hello, new member new owner. Wow a lot of poop

[littledon]

I am a new owner. North east Mississippi, own 16 acres have 8 new chickens about 5 months old. A rhode island red rooster and hen, a americuna roster and 3 hens and 2 mixed hens.I have read some books and watched a lot of videos to prepare but most said they only clean the coops once every couple of weeks or a month. I built a chicken tractor with nesting boxes and the boxes are filled with poop every morning. Is it ok for them to sit in that much poop?

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

They shouldn't be in the nest boxes except when laying eggs. Do you have a roost for them to use? Is it higher than the nest boxes?

 

[Lisa and girls]

The daily routine of my girls : eat, poop, play repeat. Lol. I find its much easier to spot clean their coop in the morning when I go out to let them free range. This seems to keep it under control. Good luck and welcome fellow newbie!

 

[littledon]

The roost poles and the nest boxes are about at the same highth a foot and a half off the ground. I have been scooping the majority off the top every morning.

 

[Lisa and girls]

A little young to lay. So they'll poop anywhere they want. My girls have a corner they all want to lay in. About eye level to me. They poop everywhere else but there. Sacred spot or something.

 

[littledon]

Today is the first time I let them out to free range when I got home just before dark. When they went back in i looked inside and they were all in the nesting boxes. Four boxes with two in each and they aren't laying yet.

 

[littledon]

That's what i thought that they would respect the sacred spot for the young. Maybe they will when they start laying. thank you.

 

[Lisa and girls]

Aww. Mine used to do that. Their butts are too big now to share a box! I think I got my first egg when they were about 6-7 months. About the size of a robins egg. Bigger gradually.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I would block off the nest until they are older and raise the roost a little if you can. You don't want them to get into the habit of sleeping there and chickens love routine so they are unlikely to stop unless something makes them.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, littledon, and

! Happy to have you here! Sounds like you've already be given the advice I would have said so I wish the best!