My layer is sleeping in her nesting box.....

[Minky]

I have a small flock of 7 and one layer so far, we got our first egg 8 days ago. She has gotten each egg in her chosen nesting box (yay!) and leaves once she is done, but has taken to spending the night in there, instead of roosting. Is this something I should discourage? I only have 4 boxes, so if the others start to think this is what is supposed to happen, we will have a problem. I'm thinking she's doing it to keep warm (we are hovering around freezing these days).
Thoughts?

She is a 25 week old Buff Orpington.
Thanks

 

[SonoranChick]

I once had a flock of 6 hens and they did the same thing. They didn't want to roost, they got into the habit of sleeping in the box and continued to do so even after they started laying. It was pretty odd, as it goes against their natural instinct to roost up high for safety, but that's where they were comfortable so I let them do it. I had to clean the nest box out daily so if this happens again I will deter them from sleeping/pooping where they lay and get them to roost. Nest boxes should really be used for egg laying, and nothing more.

 

[Patinas]

I just went through my first experience with a broody hen who is only 9 months old.

Does your hen get off the nest during the day? If she starts staying in the box at night and during the day, she could be going broody on you.

What I did with mine was to go in when it was dark and physically pick her up out of the nest box and put her on the roost. Once you move her she will stay there because they won't move around in the dark. I did this with mine two nights in a row and on the third night, on her own, she got up on the roost and hasn't spent the night in the nest box since.

During the day, I also took her off the nest and made her go out to free range and blocked access to the coop. Otherwise, she would run right back in and get on a nest.

Advice I've gotten on here is that unless you are trying to hatch chicks, don't let broody hens just sit on a nest. Too hard on their overall health.

Hope this helps!

 

[aart]

I have a small flock of 7 and one layer so far, we got our first egg 8 days ago. She has gotten each egg in her chosen nesting box (yay!) and leaves once she is done, but has taken to spending the night in there, instead of roosting. Is this something I should discourage? I only have 4 boxes, so if the others start to think this is what is supposed to happen, we will have a problem. I'm thinking she's doing it to keep warm (we are hovering around freezing these days).
Thoughts?

She is a 25 week old Buff Orpington.
Thanks

Absolutely should be discouraged!
Welcome to BYC @Minky!

Sleeping in a nest is not necessarily broody behavior.
What I see here is a change in status, onset of lay changes up the pecking order, and she's the first to lay. I would first think that this would make her more assertive, but live animals can be hard to decipher, but it may have put her at the bottom for her 'difference'.

I would block the nests or move her to the roost after dark.
Provided you have plenty of roost length(~12" per bird) that is easy to access,
if not you may need to correct that. What is enough space for young pullets can get crowded as they grow larger after starting to lay.

I devised a hinged cover that goes over the nest bank, easy to flip down an hour before roost time then open back up after dark when I lock the coop up. I hatch new birds every year and it can be a PITA to deal with the nest sleeping.... even with gobs of separate roosts available. Some groups take weeks to break of the habit, this years group took 2 nights to start using the main roosts.

 

[Minky]

Hi everyone.
Thanks so much for your kind and thoughtful replies! And for taking the time to even post photos.
Yes, she is at the top of pecking order for sure, even before the eggs started!
We have a nice long roost (maybe 12 feet, so lots of space.) I will put her on the roost tonight and for the next few nights. Thats a great idea. I used to do that with the 3 smallest birds when they "weren't allowed" to roost, and after a few nights of doing it the others accepted them on the roost!
Thanks again - really appreciate it!! Its not like I can ask my city friends "chicken questions!" LMFAO

PS. - one more question- I have a timer that keeps light on in the barn until 9 pm (its dark here around 5) but they still seem to be roosting by 6, even though there are 4 big full-spectrum-day-light floodlights on, is this normal??

 

[aart]

PS. - one more question- I have a timer that keeps light on in the barn until 9 pm (its dark here around 5) but they still seem to be roosting by 6, even though there are 4 big full-spectrum-day-light floodlights on, is this normal??

I think @lazy gardener uses a late light schedule.

 

[lazy gardener]

PS. - one more question- I have a timer that keeps light on in the barn until 9 pm (its dark here around 5) but they still seem to be roosting by 6, even though there are 4 big full-spectrum-day-light floodlights on, is this normal??

Yes, it's normal. The light will stimulate their pineal gland, and encourage wintertime laying. It's best to have the bulb(s) be warm spectrum. Even with the light on, they may go to roost at normal dusk, or they may move to roost, come back down for a snack, go back to roost, etc. Rarely have I had birds stuck off roost when lights went out. However, last year, I put a solar landscaping light adjacent to their LED supplemental light. This kept the landscaping battery charged to give them a few hours of "night light" when the big light went out.

 

[Minky]

Thanks!! Yes, I have a red bulb that comes on (it overlaps the led) for the last 30 minutes to give them some time if they are off roost, but havent seen anyone wandering past 6 ever...
Thanks!
Why is warm spectrum better? I thought full spectrum daylight would be optimal?
Thanks