Hey, i gotta question...

[Buff Oreo]

aaarrrggghhh!!! cant stop laughing. im trying to keep up like 7 convos at the same time!!! this is the best.

 

[Buff Oreo]

im really sorry, but i gotta go for the night see ya alll tomorrow if ur on.

 

[johndjones]

having the same problem..mine are all pullets so I think it might just be immaturity. The nests are only about a foot off the ground and they can see over into the nests. It's been raining here for days and the ground is muddy but that's where they lay, just here and there around the pen. I hate washing eggs!!! Today I let them out for a few hours running around and found a couple of eggs in a very nicely built nest under some privet hedge, so they do recognize the beauty of a nest. If they would stay out of the flower beds I'd just let them run around and hunt for eggs...gotta get that new chicken house built..jdj

 

[dirtsaver]

Quote:
I was thinking the same thing! Oreo do your nest boxes have some sort of perch on the front of them? If not,that is your problem. Chickens need a perch of some type(just a 2x4 or a shelf board will work) to jump up on before they enter the nest box if it is more than a foot off the floor.

As for temporary nest boxes, a few old Pet Taxi pet carriers work great. The hens seem to like the privacy. Just take off the wire door and leave the top on.

 

[Willowpark4]

Hi Bird Lovers

We have a Coop I built and by the sizes of others... I decided to make each nest box 300mm W x 350mmD x 350mmH (Ours are a 3 side by side job) For our Brown Shavers (rescued from the battery Hen Farm cast outs). Now because of the location of the doorway and door access to the inside of the coop, I put a 40mm sq perch 300mm away from the nesting boxes (500mm high same as boxes) and they started using them within a week. I was 'wrapped'.
Now the boxes are filled about 60mm deep with Pinus Radiata Non treated shavings from a local mill nearby. Over time they have all three of our girls have used each box to lay and sleep it would appear! Although they still seem to poop in them I just clean it out every day and top up with clean shaving every now and then as required.

Soory cant seem to insert a picture here - doh!

try this...

Cheers from a 'warmer climate'