My Orpington is sleeping in new nesting box!

[logansgranny]

I have five girls...the three oldest should be laying any day now. The two newest girls are about 3 weeks younger. The coop is a fairly new addition, and the girls have been sleeping in it about a month...the two Orpington's (the two youngest) won't sleep on the roosting bar...they like the floor. Up until yesterday, when one of them decided to sleep in the nesting box. I have an idea she thinks we put them in just for her! The box is about 18" off the the floor. Any suggestions?

 

[LRH97]

I would just keep putting her on the roost until she gets the idea. I had an Ameraucana that decided she liked to sleep on the roof of the coop. She just recently found out that I was going to put her back inside every time, so now she roosts with the rest of the girls.

 

[Pattid]

I have 6 chickens and 6 nesting boxes. I've found that they all tend to sleep in 3 of the boxes and then lay in the other 3. Is there any harm in letting them sleep in the boxes?

 

[chfite]

The roosting bar needs to be higher than the nesting box. Block off the nesting boxes at night to keep them from sleeping in the boxes. They will foul the nesting boxes. After a while, they will get the message.

Many of my hens slept on the floor until they started laying.

Chris