Need some opinions on nest boxes

[SheaLoner]

Managed to rig up 1 of each. Not sure how well the girls will like them. Inspector was not impressed.


. . . . There were three banties sleeping in the crate nest when I locked up tonight.

 

[MamaWolf7]

You have some very stubborn hens, as hens most certainly can be. Are they overcrowded? They need 8-12" of roosting space per bird. You can try using a board to block off the nesting boxes before they start heading in for the night, then opening them up again in the morning. After a few weeks they may have gotten the hint. Similarly you could move them out of the boxes every night after dark. They will EVENTUALLY get the hint. When I move my chicks from the chicks house to the hens house (shared run) I have to find them all each night and put them where I want them for a solid 2 weeks, and occasionally over the next few months until they finally comply.

 

[SheaLoner]

You have some very stubborn hens, as hens most certainly can be. Are they overcrowded? They need 8-12" of roosting space per bird. You can try using a board to block off the nesting boxes before they start heading in for the night, then opening them up again in the morning. After a few weeks they may have gotten the hint. Similarly you could move them out of the boxes every night after dark. They will EVENTUALLY get the hint. When I move my chicks from the chicks house to the hens house (shared run) I have to find them all each night and put them where I want them for a solid 2 weeks, and occasionally over the next few months until they finally comply.

I think I will try to make a seperate perch just for the banties. They probably got pushed around by the big girls. There was almost a full cross piece, 3 ft empty, when I checked. So it may just take some sorting out of the pecking order. But I will try to make tgem their own spot.