How to get them to investigate the nesting boxes?

[maryn7]

My three girls turn 18 weeks tomorrow. My RIR has a big ol comb and wattles, so I know she's getting relatively close. My BR is starting to develop, and I assume my Olive Egger will take a bit more time.

We installed two nesting boxes for them - I know that's one more than we really need, but we had the space. They're 18" off the floor of the coop. We installed them two weeks ago.

The way our coop is structured, the girls walk in under the nesting boxes to get at their perches. And best I can tell, they just think we've installed some weird new infrastructure above their heads but are completely uninterested in the boxes.

I've tried offering mealworms through the egg retrieval door - that just led to sort of comedy vertical hops to snatch bugs. We tried placing each bird in one of the boxes. They seemed confused and uninterested, and hopped down. I've got wooden eggs in each nest with a little pine shaving on top, so I'll know if they're disturbed.

The really only visit the coop to sleep - they spend their whole day out in the run. So they just sort of troop in at the last minute before nightfall and perch up. I don't think it occurs to them to seek out other things in the coop. I've seen a little evidence of digging in a corner, but nothing that looks like, "I am building a nest."

Any tricks to make the boxes seem more interesting? Or will they really just clamber up there when it's time? I don't want them to get in a habit of laying elsewhere if the urge comes upon them.

Thanks!

 

[chickenlittle21]

My three girls turn 18 weeks tomorrow. My RIR has a big ol comb and wattles, so I know she's getting relatively close. My BR is starting to develop, and I assume my Olive Egger will take a bit more time.

We installed two nesting boxes for them - I know that's one more than we really need, but we had the space. They're 18" off the floor of the coop. We installed them two weeks ago.

The way our coop is structured, the girls walk in under the nesting boxes to get at their perches. And best I can tell, they just think we've installed some weird new infrastructure above their heads but are completely uninterested in the boxes.

I've tried offering mealworms through the egg retrieval door - that just led to sort of comedy vertical hops to snatch bugs. We tried placing each bird in one of the boxes. They seemed confused and uninterested, and hopped down. I've got wooden eggs in each nest with a little pine shaving on top, so I'll know if they're disturbed.

The really only visit the coop to sleep - they spend their whole day out in the run. So they just sort of troop in at the last minute before nightfall and perch up. I don't think it occurs to them to seek out other things in the coop. I've seen a little evidence of digging in a corner, but nothing that looks like, "I am building a nest."

Any tricks to make the boxes seem more interesting? Or will they really just clamber up there when it's time? I don't want them to get in a habit of laying elsewhere if the urge comes upon them.

Thanks!

They will probably go in there when it's time. With my first flock, the only chicken to show interest in the nesting boxes was the cockerel, but I found their first egg layed perfectly in the nesting box.

 

[maryn7]

They will probably go in there when it's time.

Ok, thanks. I'll leave them be. (Rather than designing new nesting boxes, as I've been doing in my head!)

I swear, I never thought I'd be doing *far too much* for three little chickens. You'd think I'd been handed three human infants, rather than birds who mostly can handle themselves.

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

I do not know for certain but I see a lot of people on here recommending to put fake eggs or golf ball in the nesting box.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Fake eggs can help. I wouldn't be surprised though if it's hit or miss with where eggs end up at first. My first group of girls had no problem figuring out where to lay, but the second group never seemed to notice the boxes even though they were floor height and uncovered the whole time (and had hens laying in them) and had to be trained to use them. My current chicks have been playing in the boxes a bit so I think they won't have any issue using them, but we'll see!

 

[maryn7]

had to be trained to use them.

What did you wind up doing with this group to train them?

I forgot to mention that I have fake eggs in the boxes. I even got a set that had a green egg in there for my OE. Absolutely over-parenting.

When we put them in the boxes, they didn't seem to notice the eggs. They didn't poke around at all. Just sat on the lip of the box and then eventually hopped off. I guess we'll try that again this weekend.

I guess I don't know the best time to try showing them the boxes again. They get up earlier than I do (we have an auto door), they spend no time in the coop during the day, and then go right up on their perches to sleep. The time we tried showing them the boxes, we got up early to get them before they went outside. Would nighttime maybe work better?

 

[aart]

They didn't poke around at all. Just sat on the lip of the box and then eventually hopped off.

They know where they are then.
Don't stress about it.

You'd think I'd been handed three human infants, rather than birds who mostly can handle themselves.

Well, there's almost as much to learn.

I even got a set that had a green egg in there for my OE.

Ooo, where'd ya get those? I want some! Got a link?

 

[rosemarythyme]

What did you wind up doing with this group to train them?

Not practical if you don't have time to stalk them, but what I did was I learned their laying schedules, and when they went into the coop (but not nest boxes) to lay, I'd go in and pick them up, stick them in a nest box, and barricade them in using my arms to cover the exit. 30-60 seconds was all they needed to calm down and start exploring the box and decide that maybe it wasn't such a bad place to be. They all started reliably using the boxes after that.

Alternatively, some folks design "doors" on their nest boxes so birds can be locked in, which basically does the same as above, but forces the bird to stay in the nest box (whereas once I see them exploring and sitting down in the nest, I leave them to it and walk away).

 

[maryn7]

Ooo, where'd ya get those? I want some! Got a link?

Here you go! They're wooden, but look pretty good and seem sturdy.

@rosemarythyme Gotcha. So sounds like I need to a) wait for them to start laying! and b) implement if they're not using the boxes. I don't think any of them are laying yet, so I'll just chill out for now and assume they'll do their thing when the time comes - as it seems like most chookies do.

Thanks for all your advice, everyone.

 

[maryn7]

Just updating for any one else with this question now that we've had an egg (and another one this morning!)

We put them all in the nesting boxes a couple more times - just plopped them in there after catching them. Our olive egger seemed the most interested (in that the others had no interest), so we did it a few extra times with her. She's also the smartest, so she seems to have gotten the picture.

She started squatting about two weeks ago, consistently about a week ago. Around that time, she also started screwing around in the coop more, digging in the shavings. And we noticed more digging in the boxes the last few days.

And then, yesterday, an egg!

All of which is to say, that - unsurprisingly - everyone here was right. They mostly want to do the right thing instinctively, and will do it when they're good and ready. I don't know if our showing them the egg boxes helped - but it certainly didn't hurt, and made me feel like we were *doing something* while we (im)patiently waited for eggs.

(Based on some searching on the boards on my next question, I also plan to just leave the fake egg in each box in there permanently; that seems to be the consensus.)

Thanks again, folks!