nesting boxes

[chickens12]

hey guys i was just wondering what you guys put in yours do you put straw do you just lay a mat down or what cause there is always poop on my eggs when i get them and i was wondering what would fix this thanks!

 

[Pullet Surprise]

Could part of the poop problem be due to the position of your nest boxes in relation to roosts erc.? All that I have in mine are pine shavings and my layers like it just fine....but I'm not getting poop in the nests. It almost sounds like something else is going on that really doesn't have anything to do with the material in the boxes. Are they sleeping in the boxes instaed of roosting?

 

[aggiemae]

I agree with the above. So far so good with poop. We blocked the nest box until after we got an eggs and the two hens who actually lay in the box seem to get in, sing their "song", lay their egg and get out!

However the pine shavings were being kicked all over the coop by my somewhat enthusiastic Buff Orp and defeating the propose of having (easy to clean) sand on the coop floor so I switched to paper bedding (not the pellet type). Its heavy clumps of brown paper. Soft and comfy but hard to scratch and kick around. I put a piece of indoor out door carpet under it too. The bedding from petsmart, purchased for my kids guinea pigs. I tossed the bag but I'll l post the brand when I replace it.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Are the chickens pooping in the nesting box or are they treading poop in from elsewhere? If they pooping in the box they are likely sleeping there and you should block the boxes off at night to discourage this. If they are treading it in perhaps in has something to do with the layout of your coop and what the birds are walking through on their way in?

 

[gale65]

We use excelsior mats. Our hens do poop in the nest sometimes (not a lot but more than I'd like-I get poopy eggs at least a few times a week) and our roosts are a lot higher than the nests. The nests are at floor level and the roost is about 30" off the floor.