My chickens won't go in nests

[krista74]

Krista, you are a wealth of knowledge!!
Yes, they will sleep on top on the nesting boxes. Their perches are pretty thick, about four inches (the are logs we cut) and there is plenty of flapping space if they all sit on it. I think they get on top, because at night they bunch up, probably for extra warmth. They get so close that sometimes I'll miss one when counting them.
The one that sleeps on the ground, she as is also about seven months. We bought elven about six and a half months ago, and then ten more about three-ish months ago, making 21 total. She, we call her crazy Susan since she is always by herself, got into the habbit of sleeping on the ground early, unfortunately. When they were a few months old, we put them in a temporary open style coop/run. Inside the fence coop was a three by two box with legs that they used as a sleeping box. When they were small, they all fit, except for Crazy Susan... or she didn't think she did. So now, she chooses to sleep on the ground out of habbit. I'll try to train her to go on the perch, even if she is older. It's always worth a try!
Also, I think they bunch up so close is because they might be slightly cold, or maybe out of habbit when they were in the temporary coop. The coop is made out of cedar logs so there are gaps that the wind could penetrate. We are actually in the process of closing them up and they won't be a problem soon.
Thanks again for the wonderful advice!!

P.S. I know that RIR is Rock Island Reds, but what is BO??

Well, thank you for the kind words

I am still new to chickens myself, having only bought my first birds in March of this year. I am very much the "All or Nothing girl" - I don't do things by halves. So when I got my girls I also bought a lot of reference books on chickens, and I periodically re-read them as each new challenge arises! You do gradually pick up on little bits and pieces and become familiar with the breeds you own in particular. I guess everyone has their strengths and weaknesses in their chicken knowledge based on that.

The RIR's are Rhode Island Reds. They are egg laying machines, giving me 6 eggs per bird each week. Their eggs are a big (usually 76-80 grams each) and a lovely brown colour. The BO's are Buff Orpingtons - they are massive birds, but unfortunately their egg laying has not been so impressive. Their eggs are a creamy white colour and are only around 52-55 grams. My one layer currently gives me 2 to 3 eggs per week. She has just come back into lay after three months of not laying, a reason for which we were unable to ascertain. My other BO is currently looking after her 4 chicks which are 4 weeks old. What they lack in egg laying capabilities they make up for in personality though.

Yes, I would give your girl a go at training her to the roost. They are creatures of habit, so if you consistently put her up there each night she could well cotton on that she should be sleeping up there instead of on the floor. Certainly the cool weather will cause them all to huddle together on the roost. I got my girls coming into Autumn, and right away they were all bunched up together at night. Now that it's hot again (we are in Spring here) they sleep all spaced across the roost - even on different levels!

It's funny, I remember when I got the BO's they used to sleep in a cuddle-puddle on the floor too. That's how they would have slept with their Momma at the start, all huddled up on the floor or in a nest together. I think it goes back to that in the younger birds.

Oh, the nights I spent worrying about them getting cold! Then I started putting them on the roost at night myself - three days later they were taking themselves to bed at night.

Enjoy your birds - they really are a delight to have around, aren't they. And those eggs - oh my, I will never go back to store bought eggs again.

- Krista

 

[jonlafoy]

Close - RIR is Rhode Island Red (unless maybe auto correct got you?) -- BO is Buff Orpington.
For sleeping on top of the nest boxes - any flat surface is fair game for chickens, it just begs for them to get on top of it and explore. The downside is, where they stand, they poop - and pretty soon all those flat surfaces are covered in chicken poop. For any place you don't want them, that isn't needed to be flat you can take away the flat surface - for example, a simple "roof" installed over the top of the nest boxes that sits at a 45 degree angle. Our nest boxes are built with one to prevent exactly this issue and most can be pretty easily and cheaply modified.

I'll definitely look into modifying their nest box. That is a good idea.

Krista, my wife and I also bought our first birds around the same time. We had no previous experience before. Well, my dad had some, but sincemy parents were divorced I never got to interact with the raising. They were all slaughtered by the time I was ten, anyway, and he never got new ones. I've been doing a lot more research, which all leads me back to this site, now that I joined BYC. I would eventually like to breed chickens for our own purpose and two sell them locally (along with our goats and rabbits too). I run into the problem that I have about seven breeds: Five guineas (for the snakes here in Texas), three Plymouth Barred Rock, three brown Leghorns, two Production Reds, three white Leghorns, one Ameracauna, and the other two I am not sure about; three are yellow, and one is white with green legs (sold with the Leghorns). The Ameracauna was sold with the other yellows, but my wife didn't pay attention to the names of the birds, just the discounted price. I have been reading about the PRs and love them; mine are not mean like others claim. But if I get a rooster, I'll have so many mixed breeds it'll be hard to track, and buyers may not like it.
But before I worry about all of that, I need to get them to lay eggs first! I get off work late tonight so I'll sneak in and put Crazy Susan on a perch, check the nesting boxes for real eggs, and tomorrow I'll think of how to get them off of the nesting boxes at night (so that it is not covered in droppings everyday).
Thanks again for everything!!

 

[krista74]

You are most welcome!

In time you will be able to determine which hen lays which eggs (once they eventually start laying, that is!) So you might be able to buy, for example, a Plymouth Barred Rock rooster or a Leghorn rooster, and just set the eggs from those particular breeds of hens to be hatched. I had my broody BO hen hatch out a nest or RIR eggs because her eggs are not the right shape for hatching. They will hatch out any eggs you give them, and don't know any different when the chicks arrive. So if your rooster is the same breed of the majority of your hens, and you set their eggs only, you can still get pure chickens for resale. You just save up a nest full of eggs over a few days once yu have identified a broody hen.

Hatching chicks is a whole new can of worms! I have hatched 3 batches now, all under broody hens, and am astonished at the connection the Momma Hen has with her chicks. Did you know that the Momma actually talks to her babies through the shells in the days prior to hatching? And when they hatch out, if they wander off from the nest, she will call them back with a cluck so quiet we can barely hear it, and point her beak to show them how to snuggle in underneath her? It is beautiful to watch.

Good luck with Crazy Susan tonight. Let me know how you get on with her!

- Krista

 

[jonlafoy]

So, after nearly two weeks, Crazy Susan is finally not sleeping on the ground. Every night after work I would sneak into the coop and put her on the rooting perch. Now she goes on her own.
We have bought actual chicken feed, no scratch, and I can tell the chickens like it better. They don't eat as much and their droppings are WAY more solid.
I have found a light that I can use. I'm just too busy building a fence right now to install it, but hopefully soon.
Thank you everyone for your insight and suggestions!!

Jon

 

[krista74]

So, after nearly two weeks, Crazy Susan is finally not sleeping on the ground. Every night after work I would sneak into the coop and put her on the rooting perch. Now she goes on her own.
We have bought actual chicken feed, no scratch, and I can tell the chickens like it better. They don't eat as much and their droppings are WAY more solid.
I have found a light that I can use. I'm just too busy building a fence right now to install it, but hopefully soon.
Thank you everyone for your insight and suggestions!!

Jon

Fantastic! These things are sometimes a battle of the wills - theirs against ours. Looks like you won the battle, lol.

How are things in the egg-laying department? Any improvement?

- Krista

 

[jonlafoy]

Nothing in regards to eggs yet. I'm hoping after I install the light things will start happening. We had a problem with the nests... we have five goats and one is super pregnant, she could drop her kids any moment. So she is eating everything she can for nutrients, tha included the chicken nests. It wasn't a big problem, just annoying. I replaced all of them with dried oak leaves. It's a lot softer and the goats don't eat it. I'm also hoping that since it's a bit more natural it might entice the chickens to lay in there.

 

[mossyroo]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jonlafoy

Krista, thanks for the reply. I have not considered pellets instead. I also did not know that scratch was a treat. Next time we go to the feed store we will look at the formulated pellets. I am sure they cost more so we may have to work the budget. We would like to get a fodder system set up, large enough for our goats as well. That should help with most food deficiencies they may be getting. But the initial cost can be troublesome as well (we are cheap pople )
I am not an expert but I would be wary of a fodder system providing proper nutrition for a laying flock.

 

[jonlafoy]

I am not an expert but I would be wary of a fodder system providing proper nutrition for a laying flock.

All the research I have conducted says otherwise. I've read about some people who tried the fodder BECAUSE their hens weren't laying, and after they began to eat it they started laying. What have you heard that says it's a bad idea?

P.S. I guess I didn't say this, but it wouldn't be their ONLY food. They will still free range and every now and then I'd buy some feed, scratch, and meal worms.

 

[AZGardenFarmer]

* I give my hens egg shells with the laying feed I get at WalMart. The stuff I get at Dale's - doesn't always work. I clean out the goo outta the shells and let them dry completely then crush up the shells really well. And they're laying with no problem. Never hurts to try different things to get hens to lay.

 

[jonlafoy]

* I give my hens egg shells with the laying feed I get at WalMart. The stuff I get at Dale's - doesn't always work. I clean out the goo outta the shells and let them dry completely then crush up the shells really well. And they're laying with no problem. Never hurts to try different things to get hens to lay.

We give ours egg shells too, but we don't feed them "laying" feed. We stick to more natural methods, adn home grown feed is about as natural as possible.

Quote: I guess not, Krista. Crazy Susan is back to sleeping on the floor. It was just a one night thing when she slept on the roost. I will keep trying though! Eventually it'll work.