Nesting boxes up high?

[my first peepers]

My girls are 9 weeks old and I'm still debating where in the coop to locate the nesting boxes. Will they use them if the are up high? 5'? Or do they like them better down low?

 

[arlee453]

Make sure they are lower than the roosts. They like to sleep/roost up high. If the nest boxes are even or higher than the roosts, they will get in the bad habit of roosting in the boxes, leading to nasty, poopy eggs.

if the nest boxes are closer to the ground, they prefer to sleep on the roosts. Also, you can just close off the boxes until your girls are at the point of lay - around 18 wks, or so. That way they will get in the habit of sleeping on the roosts and you won't have to try to break them of sleeping in the boxes.

 

[my first peepers]

Thanks! That answers my question...back to the drawing board!

 

[coffeelady3]

Quote:
Also, don't put them directly under the roost, or you will have the same poopy problem!

 

[banter]

My nesting boxes are about 3 1/2 feet off the ground across from where they roost. They keep very clean

 

[Alaskan]

Don't forget too that some kinds of chickens simply don't like flying as high as others.

 

[Mahonri]

My chicks won't start laying until the end of September. My nest boxes are on the opposite side of the roosts and are about 3' off of the ground. I'm thinking about making a couple of other nest boxes closer to the ground for those that don't want to jump the 3' feet. My low roost is 4' feet and most of them just jump right up there without any trouble. If I had to do it over again, I would make the low roost a bit lower. Most end up on the high roosts next to the ceiling anyway.