Help! chicks won't stay out of the nest boxes

[jbh06]

Hi,
I have a little bit of a problem. I have 4 chickens that are over a year old and laying daily. This year I got 14 new chicks and they are 8 and a half weeks old. I thought that putting the new chicks in with the older girls would be the problem, but everything went smooth. My issue is all of the chicks like to hang out in the nest boxes and it is making an awful mess. They would prefer to lay down in the boxes for the night but as long as I go out and push them out at dark they will go up on the roosts with the other birds. I can't think of a way to keep them out. This wasn't a problem last year since I could just board up the boxes till it was time for them to lay. So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[Den in Penn]

Block the boxes just before they go to roost, unblock after they are on the roost for the night or in the morning. The hens shouldn't be laying at night.

 

[jbh06]

Thanks for your input. That would certainly help with the sleeping arrangements, but the problem still exists when it is raining or hot out as the little chicks don't seem to like the rain or the hot weather too much. Maybe this will just be a short phase they go through?? They've only been in there for a week and a half.

 

[Den in Penn]

Yeah, its is a phase they are going through, that hope fully stops when they get older and more at home in the coop.

 

[jbh06]

Thanks for your insight. I will just keep pushing them out when I find them in there and maybe they will get the point.