Nest box curtain?

[GaDawg]

Has anyone put a curtain in front of their nest box?
I can't keep my chickens from roosting in their nest box (even after blocking it for three weeks) and was thinking about using a curtain. Do you leave a little bit of an opening in the front ?
Does anyone have a picture?

They are 20 weeks old and I would like to solve this problem soon.
Thanks

 

[Daycare Mom]

I thought about a curtain for mine, but then they didn't really seem to need it. I might add a curtain if I get a broody. How high are your roosts? If the nest boxes are higher than the roost they will just keep going to them.

 

[GaDawg]

They are even with the nest boxes, on the opposite wall but still close. Do you think a curtain will help or should DH get started on new ones?

 

[keljonma]

Our hens refused to use the nest boxes with curtains on them, so we removed them.


The nest boxes and roosts should not be at the same level. Birds like to roost up high.

Lower the nest boxes or raise the roosts.

 

[redhen]

i was afraid of the same thing happening to me so i purchased these boxes with doors..that i can take off when i need to..or when they get the idea not to roost in them...they're like storage bins...good luck..wendy

 

[ridgefire]

I agree with the raise the roosts or lower the nest boxes.

 

[GaDawg]

I can't do either

right now they are just using one nest box as a roost and leaving the other alone.

They go to bed early so I was thinking of going out there every night and making sure they don't stay in the box.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

What are you using for their roost? A 2x4 or something else? Sometimes they don't like the material, size or shape of certain roosts. Usually it's a position problem, but sometimes it's the actual roost.

Even a couple of inches difference in position can make a difference in where they roost, if you can manage it.

 

[tressiah]

Maybe that's my problem too. I have a ledge on the nesting boxes, I thought it would be easier for the hens to get in, but they are roosting in the boxes as well. I was thinking of putting up a curtain of hardware cloth over the openings of the nesting boxes at night to keep them out, since all my girls lay in the daytime. I could remove it during the day, so they could use the nests. Some of my younger Barred rocks are sitting on the floor, so I need more space any way. I can't move the nesting boxes, or the roost, but do have room to add a higher roost. Thanks for the Info !

 

[PotterWatch]

Maybe you can somehow close them off at night so they are forced to roost elsewhere? I imagine if you did that every night for a week or so, they would get used to roosting somewhere else and might not start back up again. Other than that, I don't know.