Nest Box Curtains and hidden nests

[moco27]

I heard that curtains on the nest boxes are beneficial for the hens. I was skeptical but my wife wanted me to put them up because they are cute. I did what every good husband would do to keep the quality of supper where I like it.

My wife cut up an old sheet and made a few curtains. I hung them up but as I was doing so I noticed my wife didn't make enough for all the boxes. I started adding them at the end of the nest box row that the hens don't like laying in as some were sitting in thier favorite boxes at the time and I didn't want to disturb them.

It was a couple of days later that I decided to put the rest of the curtains. To my surprise, all the eggs were in the boxes that had curtains. Before curtains, no eggs were ever laid in any of those boxes. I waited to to finish putting them up and count the eggs in boxes with curtains verses ones without. After the first 2 days no eggs were being laid in the old favorite nest boxes without curtains.

I had a problem with a few hens laying eggs in hidden nests around the barn in other dark places. I decided to try and eliminate those spots by cleaning up and boarding up dark places. Those hens started laying in the nest boxes too. I didn't know how to fix that problem, who knew all I needed was curtains.

I won't build another hen house without curtains.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds really nice, I always put my nestboxes in the darker side of the shed, but some like it even more private, maybe you could share pictures of your handy work.

 

[Free as a Bird]

Really interesting!

 

[Hholly]

Yes, pics please!

 

[aart]

That's the most convincing proof I've heard for curtains..still not happening here tho.
But my birds are confined and seem to like their nests just fine...they are roomy and only a 10" diameter entrance, so kinda dim.

 

[moco27]

I went to take a picture last night of the nest box curtains and my wife said she would be embarrassed to show the curtains. She thinks they aren't pretty enough for public viewing.

 

[Hholly]

I went to take a picture last night of the nest box curtains and my wife said she would be embarrassed to show the curtains. She thinks they aren't pretty enough for public viewing.

Doesn't she know it's for CHICKEN PEOPLE? Lol. I'm sure they're pretty enough for chickens.

 

[cupofJoelene]

Yes! I put curtains up where I had two nests set up that had NEVER been used and voila! Those nests were their new favorite places in the whole world. Worked like a charm AND looks adorable.

 

[teach1rusl]

Happy wife - happy life! And evidently happy hens too

I do have curtains in my coop, but they're in the windows, not the nest boxes - guess my girls don't mind lack of privacy too much, as they've pretty much always laid where they should.