Messing in laying boxes

[gayegel]

Hi All, Our chickens have started using the laying boxes as their toilet. We keep cleaning them out and putting fresh straw in but they still do it. They have been off the lay for about 6 to 8 weeks and are now just coming back with 2 to 3 eggs a day from 8 chooks and 3 silky bantams. Thought they may stop when they started laying again but no. A member suggested if the boxes where higher than the roost they would sleep in there (which they aren't) but they weren't doing it before. Any idea's would be appreciated. Cheers from Australia.

 

[Ridgerunner]

As long as the roosts are clearly higher than the nesting boxes, you can move them from the nesting boxes to the roosts after they have settled in for the night and they should get the message after a few days. Move them after it is too dark for them to move back to the nests and use as little light and commotion as possible.

As to why they switched, have you checked for roost mites? They hide in cracks and crevices during the day and attack the chickens at night. The chickens may have started avoiding the roosts to get away from them, then got in the habit of sleeping in the nests. Or maybe something frightened them on the roosts. Hard to say why.