I have a question about nesting boxes

[urban-chick-mom]

My 3 girls, age 4 months old were sleeping in the 2 nesting boxes at night. I researched on how to get them out of the habit so what I did was put a box in the nesting box area so they can't access it. For a week now they have been using the roosting area(which is right next to the nesting boxes) to sleep and poop. My question is: when should I remove the box and open up the nesting area. Being a newbie I don't know when they will start laying eggs. I am afraid that if I open it up too soon they will start sleeping in it again. Any thoughts?
thanks!

 

[darkmatter]

I too had problems with Juvenile chickens not wanting to roost on the ladder roost and doing the overnight thing in the nest boxes. In my case it was due to already having adult chickens apparently intimidating the Juveniles during the phase of going from floor to roost. I fixed it by modifying my nest boxes with a hinged board I could close over shutting off the nest at night. So when putting them up at night, I would kick out the Juveniles from the nest boxes and close them up, leaving them no choice but to share the roost with the adults if they wanted off the floor. It only took about a week or two to get habituated to the roost and I no longer had to kick them out of the nest boxes at evening.

Here's a picture from another post, but you can see the hinged boards I can close over the nest boxes.

 

[coreybee]

Quote:
That's a REALLY good idea!

 

[wava1vaughn]

Hi from Ga. We let them sleep where ever they want. Depending on the breed they usually start laying about the 5th mo. We have found that no mater how many nest boxes you give them they all want to lay in the same box. I've had them stacked 4 high on each other. while there will be 7 empty boxes right next to them. Chickens are wonderful pets but don't over think it. Give them the space and security they need and let them work it out for their selves.

 

[urban-chick-mom]

Quote:
Very cool idea! Thanks!

 

[urban-chick-mom]

Quote:
Thanks for the suggestion. I am over thinking it. I just don't want them ready to lay eggs and I have the nesting boxes closed off to them. I think maybe in a couple of weeks I will open up the nesting boxes and see what happens.