Hen Taking 6 Week Old "Babies" to Sleep in Nest Box

[hokankai]

I'm starting to get frustrated with my mama hen. Lately she's been taking her babies to sleep in the nest boxes and it's making a COMPLETE mess AND sending the babies the wrong message. How do I prevent her from doing this? She took them up to the nest a couple of times, but I guess she isn't ready to let them go yet. I'm tired of having to clean out the nests everyday because of all the poop!!!

Help?

 

[NanaLantana]

You'll have to train them! Every night, put something in the box so they can't get in. Then put them on the roost. They'll soon learn to roost like the others. May take up to 2 - 3 weeks. But if this habit just started, you've got to nip it in the bud.

 

[hokankai]

So should I just completely block it? Mom's the one setting the bad example by taking them there. Maybe I'll drape something over the boxes in the early evening and remove it after dark.

Not sure why mom thinks she still needs to take the babies to the nest though, haha.