/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

Nesting Box

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by fireman190, Dec 3, 2011.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Dec 3, 2011 #1
    fireman190

    fireman190 Out Of The Brooder

    12
    0
    22
    Dec 3, 2011
    I have 4 chickens that insist on emptying the nesting boxes of pine shavings down to the bare wood. 2 Americaunas, 1 Austrolorp and 1 Buff Orpington. 10 weeks old and have been out in coop for 5 weeks now. Any thoughts?

    THX,
    John
     
  3. Dec 3, 2011 #2
    fargosmom

    fargosmom Chillin' With My Peeps

    636
    5
    141
    Dec 27, 2008
    Pasadena, CA
    Since they're not really laying yet, why not block the nest boxes off for a while? They're probably just playing in the shavings, and after a while they'll lose interest if you give them other things to do (other places to scratch, etc).
    BTW [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2011
  5. Dec 3, 2011 #3
    hemet dennis

    hemet dennis Chillin' With My Peeps

    3,866
    95
    228
    Nov 9, 2011
    Hemet,Ca. 20+chicken years
    My Coop
    put some dirt or sand in them
     
  7. Dec 3, 2011 #4
    artsy1

    artsy1 Chillin' With My Peeps

    298
    1
    101
    Sep 5, 2011
    sarasota
    They won't be laying for like 10 more weeks or so, they really are probably just playing, they don't need nesting boxes yet, do they have a roost? they should be starting to roost soon, get them off the ground, onto a roost. just my opinion.
     
  9. Dec 3, 2011 #5
    fireman190

    fireman190 Out Of The Brooder

    12
    0
    22
    Dec 3, 2011
    I think they may be playing as well, cause a good bit of shavings end up in the run. They have two poles that run the length of the coop, about two inches off the bedding that I see them use. I have considered adding one more a bit higher up to see if they like that as well, just haven't got around to it yet. I have also seen them huddled together at night when I go out to shut the coop door for the night.

    One other thing I wondered was best location for food and water. Right now I have both hanging in run. They have no trouble finding them.
     
  11. Dec 4, 2011 #6
    chickens? not yet

    chickens? not yet Chillin' With My Peeps

    266
    1
    93
    Jun 21, 2011
    Kingman, AZ.
    Mine would remove hay from their boxes, I started throwing down scratch & they stopped, I was going with bored![​IMG]

    Wanted to add only a hand full of scratch I only have 3 hens & 1 roo.
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2011
  13. Dec 4, 2011 #7
    goldies99

    goldies99 Chillin' With My Peeps

    582
    4
    111
    Jul 22, 2011
    they arent using them for the right reason!...i would close them up or they wont know that is where they should lay an egg....
    wait till they are going to start to lay before you open the boxes up again/.......
     

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by