Hens scratching all the hay out of nest boxes. Any help?

[sdm111]

I'd try gluing some thick carpet in the buckets then they wont really need any hay. Game hens as you know are smart enough to be agile in the bucket

 

[Lovesumchicks]

I'd try gluing some thick carpet in the buckets then they wont really need any hay. Game hens as you know are smart enough to be agile in the bucket

That's a neat idea. I've never had mine poop in the buckets so that would be a good idea

 

[Warrior gamefowl]

My hay seems ok. It’s clean. Of fresh but not moldy. I have tried putting a kind of wadded up small towel I. The bucket but she drug it out of the bucket I. A couple of days. I do like the idea of carpet stapled to the bottom. I may try stapling a small towel in. I think if it’s not stapled down all over it’ll be where they could manage to make a nest. Normally this would t be an issue. I gather eggs daily and put them in the incubators. I ve got contractors coming in the morning to tear outmyfloors and put hardwood in. That keeps my incubator room out of service for maybe a couple of weeks and I e probably got 50 hens laying In single mating pens and we’ve had some rain so i have some muddy eggs and hens getting broody or already sitting and I’d rather those hens stay in egg production than to raise a few chicks for two months. It’ll be fine. It’s early to worry about hatching. The ideas are appreciated and I’m going to keep trying.

 

[Warrior gamefowl]

This is what I’m using mostly. Just like I’ve done for years. I can put the bucket like it is in the pic and I guess the bottom is 6-8” from the bottom edge of the hole. With some hens I put it right side up to make it easier for new chicks to get out and back in the bucket. Anyway have at it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Not exactly what I expected. That's why the photo helps. When I used a bucket I built a frame and had the bucket at a 45 degree angle with the top open. But that was inside where rain could not get in. Another popular configuration is the bucket laying flat with either the lid split to hold the bedding in or a board across the bottom half.

It sounds like you do not let them hatch in there, it's purely for egg laying. I had a hatch issue with mine but that is not on the table with yours.

I've had full sized fowl hens larger than your Games use a nest with a 6" high opening. I can't tell how high that opening is. This kind of problem is why that opening was only 6", the hens were scratching the bedding out so I raised the lower lip. That solved that problem. I cut tall grass from places I don't weed eat or mow and dry it. My bedding is close to hay but the stems are probably a little lighter than what you use.

I'm surprised that 6" isn't enough to keep the bedding in. The way I read this thread it's worked for years and it's only one hen that is scratching the bedding out? You could try cutting a smaller hole higher up on a bucket but I'd give her a different type of nest unless you are aggravated enough to eat her. The bedding is not the problem. Since it has worked for years the design is not the problem. The one hen is the problem.

 

[Warrior gamefowl]

Problem is it’s several hens I picked up some different bedding material. It’s bigger chips of wood. Not as fine as I’ve tried before. I also picked up a few milk crates. I have pens that are fully protected from the weather. I’m probably try to move the hens that are doing it into some of those pens with milk crates full of bedding. I won’t be eating any of those hens. Most are 3 or 4 or 5 year old proven producers that have earned their keep.
I’ve used the laid down bucket with a 1X6 screwed to the front. Been a long time though. Don’t remember why I transitioned away from them. I’ll keep trying and I’ll keep y’all posted

 

[Aapomp831]

We also use buckets, except ours are turned on their sides so they actually walk right into the bucket from its opening. Then we cut the lids in half and attach them to the buckets to create a lip. Works very well - I replace with fresh bedding once a week. Will take pics when the sun comes up.

 

[Warrior gamefowl]

I’ve decided it’s so hit and miss that I just reline the ones that kick it out. No rhyme or reason why certain ones do it. I’ve got over a hundred single mating pens like the one in the pic and something less than ten are going to do it no matter what. My flooring job is just about done in the house and in a week or two I’ll fire the incubators up and get the brooders all out and tested and it’ll be business as usual. I had a hen come off yesterday with 11. A pretty good hatch percentage from a bucket with very little hay. I’ve got a yard hen acting like she’s about to come off. Last year I didn’t raise any weedies but I’ll have a clutch or three this year. The hen that had 11 is a good grey pullet and was a planned breeding but the temps are supposed to get down into single digits in the next few days. That’s why I’m not in a rush to have a bunch of real early hatched stuff. They get chilled and die. April chicks catch up to those January biddies IMO thanks for the advise and tips.