Nesting Box or Communal Bed?

[RHCowgirl]

Hello all,

I am just starting out on my chicken adventure this year and loving it so far! I have 12 Columbian Rock x Red hens that are now 9 weeks old. All is going well but I think I may have a problem when it comes time to start laying... I didn't get the dividers in their nesting box before I put them in their coop and they seem to think it is just one big bed! Will they be willing to lay in their still? Or should I block it off for a while so they learn to sleep somewhere else?

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciate! Thanks!

-RHCowgirl

 

[mortie]

Your problem appears to be that you don't have any roosts higher than your nest boxes. If this was my coop, I would move the roosts up if there is enough clearance and block off the nest box to keep them out while establish good roosting habits. At their age they do not need heat lamps, so those can go as well.

 

[RHCowgirl]

Thank you so much that sounds good I am going to try that!

 

[RHCowgirl]

Does the roost need to be higher than the top of the nesting box or the bottom?

 

[mortie]

They need to be higher than anywhere you don't want them to sleep. If you don't want them on the top of the nest box you may be able to block that off...might have to get creative.

 

[aart]

I'd say higher than the top of the nest.....and at least a foot away from the wall.

You might want to put a board across the front of that nest area, about 4 inches high, to keep them from kicking bedding and eggs out of the nests.

You will probably have to retrain them to sleep o the roosts by either blocking off the nests or moving them to the roost after dark.

 

[mortie]

I guess what I meant was if you are unable to put the roost high enough to clear the top of the box because you don't have enough overhead clearance, then you might have to block the top of the box off somehow. I'm not sure how high the roof in there is.

 

[RHCowgirl]

Its working! My girls are finally using the roost and not the nesting box to sleep! It took them about a week to adjust. They would all cuddle together in a corner on the floor at first, but now they are happy to use the top roost. I'll have to make more or a longer one since they all want the top lol but I'm just happy they took then hint!

 

[RHCowgirl]

 

[aart]

Its working! My girls are finally using the roost and not the nesting box to sleep! It took them about a week to adjust. They would all cuddle together in a corner on the floor at first, but now they are happy to use the top roost. I'll have to make more or a longer one since they all want the top lol but I'm just happy they took then hint!

Yayyy!! Might want larger roost material, 2x4 wide side up works very well, farther away from the wall before they reach full size....oh and longer and all on one level so the top chooks don't poop on the lower ones.