Made a mistake re nest boxes

[sonjap]

Hi all,
I have 4 chickens currently 17 weeks old. I only found out a couple of weeks ago that you are not supposed to allow the chickens in the nest boxes until they are ready to lay. Mine have been cuddling up together and sleeping in them. When I found out that's not a good thing, I blocked off the nest boxes to force them to sleep on the roosts, thinking that next month I would open them back up when they are of egg laying age. Well darn it all, but one of them laid an egg below the roosting area. Of course then I opened up the nest box and she lays in there now, but they are all still sleeping in there at night. Did I permanently screw this up or is there something I can do to fix it?

 

[LoveNewChicks]

they just do it, not a problem if you have only a few. just clean it out regularly,and your eggs will be a little more dirty.
if you dont you might want to look at the comments on this post
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pictures-of-chicken-nesting-boxes-how-to-build-a-nest-box

 

[GuineaMama]

I have 3 Welsummers that wanted to sleep in the nest boxes when I first got them. I would go out after dark and move them to the roosts and they would stay there for the night. It took a couple of weeks, but now they go up on the roosts on their own. You might try moving your girls and see if they eventually will learn where to sleep and where to lay eggs.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I have two nesting boxes for my girls. I got them as pullets and they began sleeping in the nesting boxes, too. I pretty much broke them of that by putting two gallon jugs - one into each nesting box - in the late afternoon, after any eggs had been laid. This prevents them from getting into the nesting boxes at night.

With the intense heat, I've been putting frozen jugs of water into the nesting boxes. As they're in a relatively small chicken tractor, it helps reduce the temp.

 

[sonjap]

Good ideas. I think I will block the nesting boxes off at night.
Thanks!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Good ideas. I think I will block the nesting boxes off at night.
Thanks!

Just remember to unblock the box first thing in the morning. My one gal will sneak in and sleep in the box if I don't block it and I forgot about it until just a few minutes ago. Went out there and she's crowded in the box with the gallon jug! LOL! She laid her egg right next to it.