Nesting boxes

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

My pullets are 12 and a half weeks now. When i built their 12x8 coop in the back of our shed i chose not to put the nest boxes in yet. I had read many places that breaking the habit of sleeping in then was very hard. And since they still love to sleep in a pile i figured that a nesting box would get used for a sleep pile...

So i waited. Some of the pullets combs are starting to look more red than pink and i am trying to decide when it’s a good time to add the nest boxes?!?

I have a mixed flock of 10 pullets all different breeds so i am sure there will be a mixed start date for laying. I just don’t want to miss the signs or get stuck breaking bad habits.

Thoughts?!?

 

[Ridgerunner]

My thoughts are to get the nests in now. Don't go making changes to the coop when they are ready to lay. They typically don't like change so why take a chance in upsetting them at a critical time. Whether the nests are open now is a different question.

I don't know what your coop looks like, how big it is or how it is laid out. Where are you going to put the nests? How high especially. How high are your roosts and how much roost space do you have? These are critical factors.

I want the nest open before they start to lay for a few reasons. I don't want to have to teach them to lay in the nests if they have learned to lay somewhere else. That can be a harder habit to break than if they sleep in a nest.

If your roosts are higher than the nests and you have sufficient roost space it is unusual for chickens to sleep in the nests, especially once they are laying age. If they are sleeping in the nests there is a reason that needs to be fixed. That's another reason I want the nests open before they start to lay, so I can fix problems before I get poopy eggs.

My brooder-raised chicks typically start to roost somewhere round 10 to 12 weeks of age. I've had some start as early as 5 weeks, some take longer, but yours sound normal. The way the coop/roosts are set up may have something to do with that too.

Often, not always but often, pullets start looking for a safe place to lay a few days to a week before they start laying. Sometimes that investigation involves scratching to shape a nest. If you have your nests open and find the bedding and fake eggs on the coop floor that could mean your nest lip is too low. You need to raise it before freshly laid eggs wind up on the coop floor.

Some pullets seem to not have control over the egg laying process. They may drop an egg wherever they happen to be. But once they gain control of that process, where they choose to lay their first egg becomes their nest. I want that to be in one of my nests. As complicated as the egg laying process is, not just forming the egg but the behaviors that go along with it the surprise is that so many get it right to start with.

If your chickens are sleeping in your nests, there is a reason. One typical one is that the roosts are not higher than the nests. That's a design failure.

Sometimes you have a roost bully. This is usually when you have different aged chickens, not all the same age like yours. Still, it happens. One chicken is such a brute on the roosts that the weaker chickens look for a safer place to sleep. That can easily be your nests. I regularly integrate younger chickens with my mature flock and used to have that problem a lot. I fixed it by putting in a separate roost, higher than the nests, lower than the main roosts, and horizontally separated so the roost bullies would leave the chickens alone.

There is nothing wrong with leaving the nests closed until the chicks are roosting. If the roosts are higher than the nests and the chickens are in the habit of sleeping up there it is unlikely they will switch to the nests unless one becomes a roost bully. So when they are sleeping on the roosts is a great time to open the nests. I've had pullets lay their first egg at 16 weeks. That's really young but it can happen. I certainly want the nests open by then.

My nests are never closed. I have a mixed age flock with hens always laying so I want the nests open all the time. Integrating younger chickens with a mature flock I am at a much greater risk of having them sleep in the nests than you, but since i put up that juvenile roost it has not been a problem.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

My thoughts are to get the nests in now. Don't go making changes to the coop when they are ready to lay. They typically don't like change so why take a chance in upsetting them at a critical time. Whether the nests are open now is a different question.

I don't know what your coop looks like, how big it is or how it is laid out. Where are you going to put the nests? How high especially. How high are your roosts and how much roost space do you have? These are critical factors.

I want the nest open before they start to lay for a few reasons. I don't want to have to teach them to lay in the nests if they have learned to lay somewhere else. That can be a harder habit to break than if they sleep in a nest.

If your roosts are higher than the nests and you have sufficient roost space it is unusual for chickens to sleep in the nests, especially once they are laying age. If they are sleeping in the nests there is a reason that needs to be fixed. That's another reason I want the nests open before they start to lay, so I can fix problems before I get poopy eggs.

My brooder-raised chicks typically start to roost somewhere round 10 to 12 weeks of age. I've had some start as early as 5 weeks, some take longer, but yours sound normal. The way the coop/roosts are set up may have something to do with that too.

Often, not always but often, pullets start looking for a safe place to lay a few days to a week before they start laying. Sometimes that investigation involves scratching to shape a nest. If you have your nests open and find the bedding and fake eggs on the coop floor that could mean your nest lip is too low. You need to raise it before freshly laid eggs wind up on the coop floor.

Some pullets seem to not have control over the egg laying process. They may drop an egg wherever they happen to be. But once they gain control of that process, where they choose to lay their first egg becomes their nest. I want that to be in one of my nests. As complicated as the egg laying process is, not just forming the egg but the behaviors that go along with it the surprise is that so many get it right to start with.

If your chickens are sleeping in your nests, there is a reason. One typical one is that the roosts are not higher than the nests. That's a design failure.

Sometimes you have a roost bully. This is usually when you have different aged chickens, not all the same age like yours. Still, it happens. One chicken is such a brute on the roosts that the weaker chickens look for a safer place to sleep. That can easily be your nests. I regularly integrate younger chickens with my mature flock and used to have that problem a lot. I fixed it by putting in a separate roost, higher than the nests, lower than the main roosts, and horizontally separated so the roost bullies would leave the chickens alone.

There is nothing wrong with leaving the nests closed until the chicks are roosting. If the roosts are higher than the nests and the chickens are in the habit of sleeping up there it is unlikely they will switch to the nests unless one becomes a roost bully. So when they are sleeping on the roosts is a great time to open the nests. I've had pullets lay their first egg at 16 weeks. That's really young but it can happen. I certainly want the nests open by then.

My nests are never closed. I have a mixed age flock with hens always laying so I want the nests open all the time. Integrating younger chickens with a mature flock I am at a much greater risk of having them sleep in the nests than you, but since i put up that juvenile roost it has not been a problem.

So because they are still in a pile and not roosting was one of the reasons. I have over 32 feet of roosting space at varying heights. They use them tonperch during the day but still pile in a dark corner at night.

My coop is quite large. 8x12. Sounds like i should start putting the nest boxes in and see what happens.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So because they are still in a pile and not roosting was one of the reasons. I have over 32 feet of roosting space at varying heights. They use them tonperch during the day but still pile in a dark corner at night.

My coop is quite large. 8x12. Sounds like i should start putting the nest boxes in and see what happens.

Sound like a nice coop. That is exactly what I'd do.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I would put the nesting boxes in now and uncover them in the morning. But I would cover them before they sleep at night so they can’t get in the habit of sleeping in them. But if you uncover them first thing when they’re ready to lay it is available

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

I would put the nesting boxes in now and uncover them in the morning. But I would cover them before they sleep at night so they can’t get in the habit of sleeping in them. But if you uncover them first thing when they’re ready to lay it is available

What do you mean cover them? What do i cover them with at night?

 

[Birdsong 82]

Really anything you can find. You could use wood. I usually have extra plywood laying around. You could even just use cardboard and clean put on the sides. Chickens are very strong. I had a friend just cover hers with cloth and pin it at the sides and then take it off in the morning

 

[Birdsong 82]

Until my chicken start laying are usually block their nesting boxes with wood overnight so they don’t try to start sleeping in them and then first thing in the morning take the cover off so they can leave if they choose. Or if they’re ready. But after they’re in there in a while and they start laying in them they’re not likely to start sleeping in them at that point. So the cover isnt needed After that

 

[Ridgerunner]

Or just leave them open and see if you have a problem. If you have a problem, then you can deal with it.

Worry is interest paid before it is due.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Or just leave them open and see if you have a problem. If you have a problem, then you can deal with it.

Worry is interest paid before it is due.

Good call