MY ladies are sleeping and pooping in their laying nest! WhY???

[VerginateChicks]

I second the Diatomaceous Earth. I had mites in my nest boxes, and the chinks in the roosts. I dusted all the flat surfaces, and rubbed it into the cracks, but there were still mites on the bottom of the roosts and other places I could'nt dust, intill I thought of mixing the powder with water and making a thick paint. I then brushed it onto the roosts and nest boxes. it sticks very well, but will need to be repainted every once and a while since it will flake off after a while.

hope this helps.

BTW, I love your idea about turning the powder into a paint.

I had the hardest time trying to get it evenly dispersed. I may try the paint thing next time. Plus, I can imagine it helps with not breathing in the powder when spreading it. Thanks!

 

[vehve]

I haven't dealt with mites, but to my understanding, they have a way of finding the tiniest of cracks to hide in during the day, and come out during the night. The DE is a hot topic, you might want to look into it's adverse effects, especially when used in confined spaces. It will kick up a lot of dust, and that dust isn't very healthy to breathe in. Also, due to the method in which DE works, feeding it to your birds will not have any effect on any parasites. It works by drawing out fluids from the parasites, so in a completely moist environment, like the inside of a chicken, it doesn't work. Sort of like taking a rag and trying to dry a rock that's under water.

Does the wood you use for roosts have any cracks in it which the mites might hide in? If it does, changing them might be a good idea. Also, are your roosts located higher than the nesting boxes? Chickens will seek out as high a place as possible to sleep. The roosts being round isn't a problem, as long as they are thick enough. 7-8 cm (3") should be enough, or then like suggested, a 2x4 on it's flat side. The soft spot in the wood sounds like a sign of trouble too.

By the way, you live in a beautiful place. I stopped for lunch near Menaggio on the other side of the lake a few years ago, spectacular views in the area.

 

[perchie.girl]

The johnson's stuff says it's strictly just Diatomaceous Earth and there's nothing added. However, I checked the coop over as well as the chickens really well and saw no bugs! I checked the roost pole and noticed that in the spot where they sit, the wood is very soft, (They have their spot and they huddle together at night), almost like it's dry rotting. Maybe they know, and are fearful it may break. Unfortunately my husband will have to fix the post so I'll have to wait till Saturday to fix it.

Could this be the reason?

Here is a consideration .... as your birds get older they get heavier so something that was comfortable to roost on may become less than comfortable. By changing the roost from round to flat you kill two potential problems with one stone.... if the original roost is getting soft they may not feel secure there.... and flat roosts are easier for them to relax their toes and sleep.

Make sure the roost is higher than the nests too. To change the habit cover the nest boxes in the evening so they cant sleep in them.

One thing about mites is what ever it is you use to eradicate them has to be followed up with a second dose... Because the life cycle of mites is seven to nine days you need to treat every one again after about a week. the instructions should have had a repeat time on it.

The other thing is... DE in my opinion is a good fortification.... but if your infestation is or was heavy I would bring out the big guns and use something and completely strip that coop toss the bedding and treat the coop and chickens at the same time.... As well as their run and any wood crevice or crack.

Life cycle of Mites
http://ipm.ncsu.edu/AG369/notes/poultry_mites.html

A better write up on mites and the treatment. Not all Mites hide during the day
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/MF2387.pdf

I would either use Orange OIl spray or Neem oil on the coop and outside areas. those are natural if you are going organic... I am not concerned about being organic so I would spray with pyrethrins... which can be used on dogs and livestock too if necessary. Believe it or not pyrethrins have been around for a long time and are organic as well.... they orignally came from wild Chrysanthemums.... I just found this out through the research to answer your questions.


The DE is a good fortification... But I worry about the dust being inhaled.... by people and by livestock.... And even though its noted to be safe if you take a look at DE under a microscope its made of very sharp shells of sea creatures. Which is why it works against insects and why its recommended to use it with a face mask. Those shells came from an ancient sea and do not dissolve or soften in water....

Some people use fireplace ashes to put in the dust bath area. Fireplace ashes are mildly caustic and do a good job to let the birds take care of the occasional mite on their own. (ashes are where the pioneers got their Lye)

I would prefer to have a chemical on hand to deal with the issue because Mite infestation can come from anywhere... Wild birds can bring it in for one. My mite infestation came in when I bought a small flock from a local guy.

Also I paint my perches when I have an enclosed aviary or coop. It serves two functions. Lets you know when they are getting really dirty but it also fills any nooks and crannies. I used to decorate my Finch and Parakeet aviary perches with painted on flowers... LOL Nest boxes too... there is such a thing as mite paint for perches.

so in a nutshell My favs

for the coop and out lying areas they can be used in your garden too.
Orange oil - can be found at Ace Hardware
Neem oil - can be found at Amazon

for the birds themselves
Pyrithins - can be found at Amazon as well


http://animals.pawnation.com/mite-lice-spray-birds-11026.html


deb

 

[VerginateChicks]

Thanks! That's some great info you shared. I'm always happy to learn more about how to take care of my little precious ones. I never considered them getting heavier as they get older, but they certainly are bigger than when I fist got them! I've taken the nest out for the night, and will put it back in, in the morning. Hope they sleep fine tonight.

 

[bobrut]

You really don't need to worry about the poop on the eggs, the bloom should protect them.

 

[VerginateChicks]

You really don't need to worry about the poop on the eggs, the bloom should protect them.

Yeah, but I'm pregnant so I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[Indoroowet]

I have a similar problem ...
Not being pregnant (!) ... but the chicks sleeping and pooping in the nest box(es).

I saw the poop, and wanted to know why it was there, so I installed a video baby monitor, and saw them going in at the time of *going to bed*.
So for about three weeks now, I have closed the nest boxes, and I can *see* them, trying to get in the nest-box almost every night.
I also noticed that they do not use the perch (a 1x4). Instead they huddle together on the bottom of the coop right in front of the nest boxes.
I checked the perches, and they are clean as a whistle.
I assume they never used them !! ??

About the *maybe* not good to eat eggs from where there is poop.
You really do not need to worry !!
The bloom on the egg is the best protective layer, nature has created, to keep eggs clear of any *not supposed to be there* things !!

If you really want to know what the temp and the humidity is *in* the coop you can get a weather station like this from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00772E9CE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Just stick the *outside* probe inside the coop.

 

[Indoroowet]

Update:

For a few weeks, I have faithfully closed off, the nesting boxes, and checked on them with CCTV.
I can *see* them trying to get into the nesting boxes, then they give up and huddle together on the bottom of the coop.

The last two days, I have given up, and let them do whatever.

Yep !! They are back into the nesting boxes !!

Oh well ...

Found a neato little scooper at WINCO.
Kind of a strainer with elongated long slots that are wide enough to let the wood shavings thru,
but keep the *poop* separate.
Use that now to clean the poop out of the nesting boxes each afternoon after I get the eggs out !

 

[aart]

Wider perch for sure.....and they may need some 'training' to establish a new habit.

My experience was that I had some pullets that the older birds wouldn't let roost with them so the pullets wanted to roost in the nests. I put up another roost just a couple inches lower than the main roost and began removing the pullets from the nests after dark and putting them on their roost. Did that for a couple nights, then started going in at dusk and poking them in butt if they got into the nests(I have 'outside the coop' access to my nests boxes so this was easy). Pretty soon all I had to do was walk in and they would leave the nest and go to the roost so they didn't get poked in the butt. Took about 3 weeks total before they got in the habit of always roosting on the roosts instead of in the nests.

Also look to see that there is not any direct draft on the roosting area....they need lots of good ventilation up high, moving air is ok but if their feathers are moving while on the roost it's too drafty there

 

[Indoroowet]

Wider perch for sure.....and they may need some 'training' to establish a new habit.
Also look to see that there is not any direct draft on the roosting area....they need lots of good ventilation up high, moving air is ok but if their feathers are moving while on the roost it's too drafty there

The perch is 4 inches wide, how wide does it have to be ?

Ventilation on top is 1 sq ft per chicken.
No draft because door is *sealed*, when closed.

The top of the perches are super clean, like they never sat on it !!

Is it *wrong* to let them just sleep on the bottom (floor) of the coop ?


Just a note:
I know chickens establish a *pecking order*.
Interesting to *see*, that they sleep in the same location, each night.
Always in the same order !