nest box access

[jasonbennett1]

Not sure if this should go here or raising baby chicks forum. I am going to put my first chicks out into the coop here soon and I was wondering if I should block off access to the nesting boxes until they are old enough to lay eggs. Any thoughts?

 

[Country Guy John]

I waited until about 2 weeks before they were due to start laying before I put my nest in the coop so that they could get used to the nest before laying.

 

[Nemo]

Put them in early, and put a few fake eggs in the boxes. It gives them the idea that the boxes are a good place to lay eggs, and that the eggs aren't something to eat. We used golf balls, even though we have brown-egg layers, and it still worked.