My chickens will not go in their nesting box!!

[Bamas-Chicks]

I have the opposite problem,my 7 hens who are all laying age sleep in the nesting box. They have 2 roosting poles but don't sleep on them. 2 of them do stand on a support bar inside the nesting box like it's a roost,but the rest lay in the 2 different nesting boxes I have. Is this a problem and if so what do I do? I can't block off nesting box because a few are laying.

 

[so lucky]

If the roost seems to be too much of a jump, you can put something in there as a step, like a little wooden box, a concrete block or a log. My 5 week old babies are getting up and down from the roosts during the daytime, but still sleeping on the floor in a pile at night. They will figure it out.

 

[getaclue]

I have youngsters that are doing the same thing. In a week, I'll start putting them on the roost in the evening. They'll eventually catch on.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have the opposite problem,my 7 hens who are all laying age sleep in the nesting box. Is this a problem and if so what do I do? I can't block off nesting box because a few are laying.

Two things to try: 1) Go out at right after dusk and manually move them onto the roost. They shouldn't jump off if it's too dark for them to see easily. 2) Cover up the nestboxes in the evening before the chickens go in for the night, then once it's completely dark, remove the cover so the chickens can lay in the morning.

 

[Bamas-Chicks]

Two things to try: 1) Go out at right after dusk and manually move them onto the roost. They shouldn't jump off if it's too dark for them to see easily. 2) Cover up the nestboxes in the evening before the chickens go in for the night, then once it's completely dark, remove the cover so the chickens can lay in the morning.

Is the only reason you don't want them sleeping in the nesting box because of them getting it filthy or is there more reasons?

 

[Blooie]

I don’t worry about it. If they want to roost on the roost we provided, fine. If they prefer the floor, that’s okay too. The only thing I do protect, and fiercely, are the nest boxes. I’m busy enough without standing at the sink washing poopy eggs! But as you have explained, that was just a mix-up in terms.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Is the only reason you don't want them sleeping in the nesting box because of them getting it filthy or is there more reasons?

It's mainly to keep the nest box clean which will keep eggs clean as well.

 

[ThatLittleChickenLady]

Young chicks (for a reason I’m not sure of) usually won’t roost at such a young age. Some of mine started at 4 months and others at 5 months. Soon enough, when they get older and more mature, they’ll feel safer roosting and not on the ground.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Young chicks (for a reason I’m not sure of) usually won’t roost at such a young age. Some of mine started at 4 months and others at 5 months. Soon enough, when they get older and more mature, they’ll feel safer roosting and not on the ground.

Some will, some won't - my last group of chicks voluntarily roosted with the adults at 5 1/2 weeks. Some keepers choose to train them to roost earlier, some prefer to let them figure it out themselves. I'm somewhere in between... I expect my young birds to roost, but never had to push them very much to do so. Once mine discover that the roost is a nice place to spend the night, they get on it voluntarily.

 

[chrissynemetz]

My chicks will usually start using the roosts somewhere around 5 weeks. Make sure they can reach them, and don't use a round bar, chickens don't really like slippery round roosts. They should figure it out pretty quick.