Is it good to start the nest boxes on the ground then move them?

[JessHall]

I read that you should place nest boxes on the ground until they are used to laying in them, then you can move them up off the ground. Is this correct? Does it work? Will they still use them?
None of my hens are laying yet, but I don't want to start them off wrong.

Thanks.

 

[bigredfeather]

I have my nesting boxes 18" above the floor. It has been at that height from day one. Everyone of my first 10 hens laid every egg in the box.

 

[captainmoose]

Install the nesting boxes where you you want them now. If you start out on the ground and then move them later you may have a chicken that wants to lay on the ground. I installed my boxes before they were ready to start laying and they had no problem finding the boxes or knowing what they were for when they were ready to lay.

 

[JessHall]

Thanks for the feedback...
One other question... do you think they'll go up their ramp to where i originally intended for their nestboxes? Or is 18" the highest that's recommended?


If you look to the left side of the coop, the top door is where I wanted to access the nests from. You can kind of see how high I am talking from the picture.

 

[MRNpoultry]

Yeah, they will go up there to lay there eggs. In one of our coops the chickens have to walk up a ramp like the one in the picture to lay there eggs.

 

[captainmoose]

I have six nest boxes, three across and two high, the bottom is 30 inches off the floor. The chickens have no problem flying up, I do have a perch attached to the lower boxes.