hens sleeping in nest box

[Ilona]

I have 3 hens. Two of them squeeze together in one nesting box and sleep there. Is that weird? Only one of my 3 is laying eggs but not sure which one, and I find egg in the same nesting box. Anyone else noticed something like that?

 

[Shayna]

Are they silkies by chance? Mine are, and since they prefer to be on the ground instead of roosting, they tend to cuddle up together, usually in a nest box. None of them are laying.

 

[buckabucka]

Are your roosts higher than your nest boxes? They will often go for the highest available spot.

 

[shelleen]

I have several that like to cuddle together in nest boxes--not Silkies either!! Even Roosters. I've been moving them & blocking off nests for over a week to no avail. They just keep snuggling...despite the wonderful HIGH roosts they have. Grrr! Don't know how to break them. Makes for messy nests. I try to get in there to block off the nests before they start gathering in for the night, but there is always someone hanging out in there. I don't know what to do with the stinkers!

 

[jdywntr]

When I first added my nestboxes my hens started sleeping in them. They were gross in the morning. I blocked off the entrance to the nest box overnight (my setup allowed me to do this easily). They had just started laying at the time. I haven't had a problem since. Its like they need to realize they need to sleep on their roosts.
Similarly, when my silkie would go broody (she loved her invisible eggs) I would block off the nestbox and provide the other girls an alternate site to lay (this was done prior to the silkie going broody). I would remove the silkie whenever I found her setting. At one point I had to block access to the run during the day because the silkie so wanted to sit on her invisible eggs. It doesn't take long to break them though.

You do need to make sure your roosts are higher than the nest boxes though.

 

[wyododge]

Put a soccer ball or similar in the nest box at night. Fill it with something that is easy for you to move, anything will work. Take out out in the morning. If they are in there when you go to close it up, take em out and put the soccer ball (or whatever) in. Put them on the roost, or leave the on the ground, they will figure it out.

 

[jdywntr]

Quote:
good idea

 

[fireguy56]

Hi, I had a problem with some of our girls roosting on the 1" x4" I had put across the front of the nest boxes, not actually going inside to sleep. but same issue....poop inside the boxes. So, I thought and thought of how I could stop this and this is what I came up with.

All I did was to add a piece of 1/4" luan plywood in the shape of a vee to the front of each box. The thin edge discourages them from wanting to roost on it, as does the steepness of the v shape. Yet the opening is still large enough for our biggest, fat ass to get in. Working for us so far, no more poop in box. Plus our roosts are pretty high and they all jockey for their favorite one. good luck.
Erik

 

[djjeffery]

Quote:
That is awesome and i bet the girls love the extra privacy when laying.

 

[shelleen]

I am going to have to try to change my nest-blocking strategy. I like the V-shaped board idea. Unfortunately, my last days off were spent in ER with an ailing mother-in-law (who lives with us) & re-working the electric fence for some VERY NAUGHTY goats. So the nestbox issue is still an issue. My sweet husband was trying to help the coop project along when we were building & made decisions about door & window locations while I was at work that make it more difficult to deal with--but we'll manage. He also used plastic stacking crates for nest boxes that are mounted on a shelf, so that's a bit tricky too. I wonder if those cheap $1 balls @ Walmart would be heavy enough to discourage them. Might have to steal the goats & see...

Thanks for all the great ideas!!