nesting box placement

[ssalstro]

HI, I have four new hens (adults). I now live in Japan, and we got the girls from a mental hospital that allows their patients to raise farm animals as therapy. They came from a large group of chickens in a very large enclosed space. They now live at our chicken coop outside. The coop is 2 connected bays on the upper level and a single bay on the ;lower level connected by a ramp. The bays are each 6 feet by four feet and each 4 feet tall. We put the nesting boxes on the lower level so we could access them easier. So far the hens have not gone down the ramp. Should the nesting boxes be o the upper level? And should we expect a break-in period before they start laying eggs again? Thanks for any help, we are excitedly new at this.

Also, don't know what the breed is.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Being where you are I'm not sure, but those do not look like any specific breed. The white in the red feathers makes me think they are crosses. They might be red sex links, but there is certainly no guarantee of that. Hopefully someone familiar with Japanese breeds can weigh in on that.

I don't think the position of the nesting boxes matters that much. As long as they are lower than the roosts, just make them convenient for you. Some people have nesting boxes on the floor and some have them fairly high up on a wall. There is no rule covering that.

When hens are stressed, they will usually quit laying. They are as stressed as you are when they move. It will probably take them some time to start laying again. That could be a few days or it could be weeks. It is hard to tell. But once they are comfortable in their new home and consider it a "safe" place, they should start up again if they were laying.

Good luck!

 

[ssalstro]

Thanks a lot, that makes us feel better. We were just told that the breed is a mix from the states...they are referring to them as "Boris Brown" but said they are mixed with Rhode Island Red. I'll post again when they start laying eggs.

Thanks again!