nest box question

[rgraf]

Hi! my girls are 16 weeks old. I have kept the nest boxes closed off so they don't try to live in there, is it time to open them up? I have two red star, two black australorp, one EE, and one buff orpington. Thanks!

 

[TwoCrows]

Definitely, time to open the boxes. They are way past wanting to sleep in them. I would put some fake eggs int the boxes and leave them in there so they can see where to lay their eggs. That also gives them a chance to pick around at the eggs and will lead them to leave the real eggs alone. Good luck!

 

[lorain's fids]

I got the nest boxes ready around 17 weeks, I filled them with pine shavings and placed a plastic easter egg in all 3 boxes. The 5 girls-1 Black Australorp and 4 Dominiques are now 21 weeks. No eggs yet, but I see the plastic eggs are moved slightly and the shavings messed up, so I guess they are going in there and checking it out.

 

[stilldeb]

My chickens hate fake eggs and especially golf balls -you can hear them playing golf in there with them! Soon as they find them...'wham!' they hit the walls with them tossing them out of the boxes. None of mine layed any eggs til 24-26 weeks, but depends on breed.

Maybe I could make money with my 'famous golfing chickens' since they aren't layin' any eggs right now.

 

[lorain's fids]

Quote:

It's a good thing that they didn't hit another chicken in the head as they were tossing the golf balls out of the nest boxes. LOL!!!

 

[debid]

Absolutely open them up! I never closed my boxes off (just put the roost higher and it wasn't a problem) but I did notice that the girls explored them and practiced making nests for weeks and weeks before laying an egg so yours may be scouting already.

I have to laugh over the tossed golf balls story. Mine were absolutely vicious to a dark blue plastic egg. I have no idea why but they beat that one up hard enough to knock it open a few times so I gave up and took it out

The other colors (pink, mint green, yellow) were accepted. I filled the eggs with rocks to keep them from rolling around so much so I'm very glad nobody threw any!

OH, and my favorite moment was opening the egg door and seeing a pink egg (Speckled Sussex) next to the pink plastic egg and a green egg (EE) next to the mint plastic egg.

 

[rgraf]

Thanks everyone! I knew I would get great advice here!