How to keep chicks from sleeping in the nesting boxes

[Mamatomany123]

I currently have seven 23 week old laying pullets and four 7 week old pullets. I can not keep the 7 week olds out of the nesting boxes. They play in there during the day and sleep in there at night. Is there anything I should be doing? The roost are higher than the boxes. Heres a picture of them. They're all at different heights. The older girls pile up on the top roost so the babies have 3 other heights to pick from. I'm tired of cleaning out the nesting box every day because they're full of poop from the night. HELPPPP!!

The picture isnt current but it's what I have. We've added more nesting boxes to the right and those are the ones they sleep in. They never go into the ones on the left.

 

[howdyitsmia]

I haven’t had to deal with this before, but I’ve heard that the best way to do it is to block the boxes off at night. A tip that I thought was great way to do this is to set milk cartons in them so the chicks can’t get in. Hope that helps at all!

 

[Mamatomany123]

I haven’t had to deal with this before, but I’ve heard that the best way to do it is to block the boxes off at night. A tip that I thought was great way to do this is to set milk cartons in them so the chicks can’t get in. Hope that helps at all!

I've thought about doing this but one of my girls is a bit unpredictable and has laid before I got out there in the morning.

 

[Flockincrazy]

I currently have seven 23 week old laying pullets and four 7 week old pullets. I can not keep the 7 week olds out of the nesting boxes. They play in there during the day and sleep in there at night. Is there anything I should be doing? The roost are higher than the boxes. Heres a picture of them. They're all at different heights. The older girls pile up on the top roost so the babies have 3 other heights to pick from. I'm tired of cleaning out the nesting box every day because they're full of poop from the night. HELPPPP!!

The picture isnt current but it's what I have. We've added more nesting boxes to the right and those are the ones they sleep in. They never go into the ones on the left.

Do your older laying hens lay in the ones on the right if not block them off at night

 

[Mamatomany123]

Do your older laying hens lay in the ones on the right if not block them off at night

Some do. I have 3 that lay on the left and 2 that lay on the right.

 

[Flockincrazy]

Some do. I have 3 that lay on the left and 2 that lay on the right.

Well my idea won't work then

 

[Bear1978]

Another question. Are your roosts higher than the nesting boxes?

 

[Mamatomany123]

Another question. Are your roosts higher than the nesting boxes?

Yes, I've posted a picture to show. Only 1 is below the box and they just use that as a ladder. The other 3 are higher.

 

[Bear1978]

Ok.. Yeah I saw the pic. Where’s the nesting boxes?

 

[Mamatomany123]

Ok.. Yeah I saw the pic. Where’s the nesting boxes?

Where the red circle is is where we put more boxes. Those are the ones they sleep in. They play in the ones circled in black.