hens laying in the rafters

[daddy_roo]

I have my hens in a green house with open rafters. my egg count went from about 10-12 eggs a day from 12 hens to 2 every other day. Now I know it is getting to be winter but that was too drastic all at once. So I began investigating. Even though they have 3 nest boxes( in which I have only found 3 eggs in the entire time) they prefer an old plastic wheel burrough. It has sides abour 18 inches high all around and a plastic bottom. I forgot it in there one day and that was where they picked to lay. So I figured if they like it i lovr it. Left it in there and went on with life. So upon me getting currious and tearing my green house apart. One of the hens flew up into the rafters. So I look up and the light bulb goes off. SO I get the lader and get up there and all of a sudden I find 25 eggs in a corner of the rafters. Great that I found them, but now comes the issue of how to get them to stop using the rafters. and go back to either the nest boxes or the wheel barrough again. Any suggestions? I am trying to avoid closing the rafters off because from time to time I use them for storage myself.

 

[hemet dennis]

Quote:

they do pick the darnedest spots sometimes

you need to make it so they cant get to that spot some netting or some thing and move their nest box higher
good luck

 

[daddy_roo]

well the nest box is about 18 inches off the ground do you still think it needs to be higher? although it does kinda make sence to move it up now that I think about it. If they want to be that far off the ground to lay. I guess I can try that.

 

[elmo]

I'm afraid that once they get into the habit of laying up there, only blocking off access will stop them.

You can try putting in an elevated nestbox to see if that helps, but I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[CindyJeann]

Once I raided the "wild" nests my girls started using the nesting boxes. Also I keep golf balls where I want them to lay.

 

[Hen Power]

Hi. I know this thread is old, but I have some more info for everyone. My chickens are in my garage. I made a very nice nest box for them with 4, count them 4 nests to choose from. However, they just kick out my pretend eggs from the nesting boxes and lay their eggs on the rails of my garage opener, where they roost. The little darlings. The eggs fall from the rail where they lay them, onto a storage unit below and roll onto the floor. It's kind of like a Rube Goldberg egg laying contraption. They don't break, but this has to stop.

The chickens get up onto the opener rails via roost posts I put in place for my turkeys, Henny and Tommy. The turkeys like being up a bit high so I wanted to accommodate them. I guess I'll net off the rails, and put the nest box up higher so they'll use it.

 

[aart]

I guess I'll net off the rails, and put the nest box up higher so they'll use it.

Blocking off the rails will keep them from roosting there,
but raising the nests is unnecessary and could cause more/other problems.
Roosts are best at least a foot higher than nests,
or they may start roosting(sleeping) in nests.

How many and what ages are your birds?
Pics of your nests may help spot a problem.
You might try removing fake eggs from 2 of the 4 nests, see what happens.