How do I stop my Chickens sleeping and pooping in nesting boxes

[Molinarohomestead]

a pictutre would help. Need to figure out a way to raise the roost bars or lower the nest boxes. I would put a wood plank in front of the opening for a week or two. Once they actually start laying you can remove it and place some wooden eggs in there and that'll do the trick. I find it's rare to have them immediately start laying in the nest box with their first couple eggs so not sure you loose anything by closing it off in that regard. Will certainly help stop them from sleeping in there. But chiefly, raising the roost bars is necessary

I'm gonna see first if the new hay pads with fake eggs deter them from sleeping in there if it doesn't I have some wooden planks I will put in front of it. Either way I'll figure out a way to raise the roosting bars, so retarded how they make these things with them basically on the ground...ugh

 

[LaFleche]

But the roosting bars are low as heck, like 2inches above the pull out tray, it's identical in height as the nesting boxes

That's what I suspected.

And you are right, this is ridiculous, no wonder they prefer to huddle up in the nesting boxes.

When given the chance chickens will instinctively roost as high as possible from the ground.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Once they start roosting most chickens tend to want to sleep in the highest place available. You can still sometimes have problems but usually if the roosts are noticeably higher than the nests to start with then you seldom have this problem. You did not know that so now you have to deal with this.

My first step would be to either raise those roosts or leave those and install new ones. You will probably have to go to the wall just above the nest opening to find an attachment point. That is probably about a foot (30 CM) up which should be enough. I don't see attachment points under the roof to drop hangers.

That by itself might solve your problem, but probably not. They can be creatures of habit and you probably need to break that habit. I see two possible ways to do that. If access isn't too bad you can wait until it is dark and physically move them to the roosts. If it is dark enough they should stay there instead of hopping down. Use a flashlight and as little light as you can. After a few nights they should get the message and start putting themselves to sleep up there. Often when one starts the rest follow.

Another option is to block off the nests when it gets close to bedtime and force them to find another place to sleep. Some people use boards or cardboard. Some people fill the nests with something to make it so crowded they can't get in. Maybe fill a few milk jugs with sand. Whatever method works for you.

They are not laying yet but as you said, they are probably pretty close. I personally want the nests available when they start. Often where they lay their first egg becomes their nest. I want that first spot to be my nest.

They tend to lay anywhere from sunrise until late afternoon. The way I would approach this would be to block the nests in late afternoon, maybe if you feed and water in the afternoon block the nests then. Unblock the nests after it is dark and they are sleeping on the roosts, say when you are locking them up for the night. That way the nests are available when they wake up in the morning.

so retarded how they make these things with them basically on the ground...ugh

That is obviously not a big walk-in coop, it looks like one of those small elevated prefab coops. Access could be a bit limited. You will find that many of us do not like those small prefab coops. They are generally not well designed for chickens. It's not just the roosts. They typically have many more nests than they need which is extra expense, ventilation is usually way inadequate, they typically hold half of the number of chickens they advertise, just so many problems.

Good luck with this.

 

[aart]

Here's an excellent modification to that kind of coop:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-in-nest-boxes.1134399/page-2#post-17749535

 

[Bananabread]

These are the brackets that I used. You can buy them from home depot for a $1-2 and their made to support much more than a few birds. However, as @ridgewater alluded to, you'll need to find something structurally sound to attach them too, as the weight of the birds will likely pull them off the wall if flimsy wood. It looks like if you run it parallel to the nests you have some "support" looking wood that may be strong enough. Alternatively the link @aart posted demonstrates a good way to build a little support column, assuming you have a good way to stabilize that to the bottom of your coop.
Ultimately as uniformly mentioned, the roosts definitely need to be raised.

 

[Molinarohomestead]

Here's an excellent modification to that kind of coop:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-in-nest-boxes.1134399/page-2#post-17749535

Thank you so much! You all have been so helpful!

 

[Molinarohomestead]

View attachment 3572146View attachment 3572147These are the brackets that I used. You can buy them from home depot for a $1-2 and their made to support much more than a few birds. However, as @ridgewater alluded to, you'll need to find something structurally sound to attach them too, as the weight of the birds will likely pull them off the wall if flimsy wood. It looks like if you run it parallel to the nests you have some "support" looking wood that may be strong enough. Alternatively the link @aart posted demonstrates a good way to build a little support column, assuming you have a good way to stabilize that to the bottom of your coop.
Ultimately as uniformly mentioned, the roosts definitely need to be rraise

View attachment 3572146View attachment 3572147These are the brackets that I used. You can buy them from home depot for a $1-2 and their made to support much more than a few birds. However, as @ridgewater alluded to, you'll need to find something structurally sound to attach them too, as the weight of the birds will likely pull them off the wall if flimsy wood. It looks like if you run it parallel to the nests you have some "support" looking wood that may be strong enough. Alternatively the link @aart posted demonstrates a good way to build a little support column, assuming you have a good way to stabilize that to the bottom of your coop.
Ultimately as uniformly mentioned, the roosts definitely need to be raised.

Thank you! There is some solid wood pieces right above the nesting boxes on each side of the coop. So I think this will work wonderfully Thank you! Also, I only have 4 easter egger hens, they don't grow very big 4-5lbs so ill make sure it can hold at least 30lbs to be safe lol...I can also put up 2x4s inside and outside of coop so there's solid structure if I can't make it work.

 

[Molinarohomestead]

View attachment 3572146View attachment 3572147These are the brackets that I used. You can buy them from home depot for a $1-2 and their made to support much more than a few birds. However, as @ridgewater alluded to, you'll need to find something structurally sound to attach them too, as the weight of the birds will likely pull them off the wall if flimsy wood. It looks like if you run it parallel to the nests you have some "support" looking wood that may be strong enough. Alternatively the link @aart posted demonstrates a good way to build a little support column, assuming you have a good way to stabilize that to the bottom of your coop.
Ultimately as uniformly mentioned, the roosts definitely need to be raised.

By the way absolutely beautiful coop!!!!

 

[Bananabread]

Thanks!
Re above, based off the pictures and that you don't have too many birds, I'd put the roosts on the wood pieces over the vented windows. You can build a "ladder" to help them if you think too high. Also--with just 4 birds you might get a way with just one bar if that space is 48in wide. Of course...if this is your first set of birds, you may want to use a two bar roost set up to account for chicken math that is sure to set in by next spring when you're ready to add more!

 

[Molinarohomestead]

Thanks!
Re above, based off the pictures and that you don't have too many birds, I'd put the roosts on the wood pieces over the vented windows. You can build a "ladder" to help them if you think too high. Also--with just 4 birds you might get a way with just one bar if that space is 48in wide. Of course...if this is your first set of birds, you may want to use a two bar roost set up to account for chicken math that is sure to set in by next spring when you're ready to add more!

Lol, I wish I could have lots more! But I can only have 5 where I live. So I can get one more lol. But yea the white wood above the boxes is a solid wood to build off of it, yes it's prob about 52inches wide. I got a 8-10 hen coop sized for double the amount of birds I have bc they don't understand at all, what so ever how to build a coop