Lay Box Troubles

[JSossong]

I put my 11 RSL's (12 weeks old) in the coop a few weeks ago and the transition went great. Recently some of them started using the lay boxes as their toilet.

When I built the perches and lay boxes I heard that by building the boxes higher than the perches you could prevent this from happening. It did hold them off for awhile but now they keep doing it. I put some pieces of wood inside the boxes to block any chickens from getting in for now.

Will this continue happening once I take the wood out when it's about time for them to lay?
Is there anything else I can do?

Any thoughts or suggestions are welcomed!
Thanks
xxxx

 

[chicmom]

Hello! I block mine off until the pullets start squatting, which is anywhere from 17 to 25 weeks, depending on the breed. When you reach out to them, they will do this squatting pose for you, as if you are the rooster who wants to mate. Once you see this, then finish up your starter/grower feed, switch to layer feed, and unblock the nest boxes.

None of my girls poop or sleep in their nest boxes. My husband cut me boards that I can just slide over the boxes.

I hope this helps you!

Sharon

 

[JSossong]

@chicmom Very helpful! Thank you!

 

[donrae]

I put my 11 RSL's (12 weeks old) in the coop a few weeks ago and the transition went great. Recently some of them started using the lay boxes as their toilet.

When I built the perches and lay boxes I heard that by building the boxes higher than the perches you could prevent this from happening. It did hold them off for awhile but now they keep doing it. I put some pieces of wood inside the boxes to block any chickens from getting in for now.

Will this continue happening once I take the wood out when it's about time for them to lay?
Is there anything else I can do?

Any thoughts or suggestions are welcomed!
Thanks
xxxx

this is actually backward. Birds want to sleep at the highest point possible. If the nest boxes are highest, that's where they're going to sleep. And they poop a lot while they sleep

. So, any chance you can re-configure to have the roost above the nest box?

 

[JSossong]

@donrae well that makes sense! Working today to adjust some coop stuff, might as well make the roosts higher while I'm at it. Thanks!

 

[farmgirl7]

I recently had the same problem when I put my 6 wk old little girls in the coop. We have a pre-built coop that we ordered, and the two perches are very low. The first 3 nights, I found them all asleep in the same nesting box, piled on top of each other! I haven't got around to moving the perches yet, but I did block the nesting area. It is keeping them out of the nests for the time being. I just used an old white board that I haven't used in years. It just fit in that end of the coop. This is one of the disadvantages of pre-built coops, they just don't know how chickens react to the various designs. I'm sure we will be building our own before long.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

this is actually backward. Birds want to sleep at the highest point possible. If the nest boxes are highest, that's where they're going to sleep. And they poop a lot while they sleep

. So, any chance you can re-configure to have the roost above the nest box?

Yep- which is why I am going to be removing a shelf from the coop this weekend - It was installed when we used the room as a feed/tack room, and I totally forgot about it in the conversion process - but last night 13 of our 16 found it.