New nesting area

[PurpleCArTires]

I have a two floor coop. The original part (top floor) has 3 nest boxes built in. I added the lower floor and closed it in since i added more chickens, and they could get out of the way of the older hens. The pullets slept on the firat floor for awhile, but have now moved up to the second floor with the older ladies. Everyone loves to lay in 2 of the 3 nest boxes. But i want to make use of the first floor and build 6-8 nest boxes in there. (I have a broody who is hogging the "best" nest in the top floor lol)

After i build the boxes, how can i get the ladies to start laying there? I was thinking plastic eggs, but if they never go into the first floor, they wont even know they are there.

Should i place each hen in the new nest box for a bit? Should i close off the old nest box?

Just looking for any ideas from someone who has done this before. Thanks!

 

[3KillerBs]

Chickens always want to sleep in the highest place possible because their natural instincts tell them it's safer.

How many chickens do you have? You only need 1 nest box for every 4 hens more or less.

Do you have photos of your coop showing the two stories and the sleeping and nesting arrangements?

 

[PurpleCArTires]

Right now i have 15 hens in this coop with 3 nest boxes. They all lay in 2 of the 3 lol, so i want to add more nest boxes since the broody is sucking up one of the good ones. The top floor has two roost bars the run the lenght of about 8-10 feet and a 3 nesting box hanging off the back. The bottom doesnt have anything in except pine shavings. The new girls only used it for a few weeks until they gained respect of the older ladies and were allow up top. The coop is in the background of this pic. I dont have any other pics at the moment (please excuse it needs a paint job still lol)

Ps. The broody is sitting on plastic eggs while her babies hatch in an incubator

 

[rosemarythyme]

You could try picking them up and putting them in the new nests, just to get them to explore it as an option. My guess is most of them will still go to the nests they're used to (and I wouldn't block them off as I'd rather they lay somewhere predictable).

 

[PurpleCArTires]

You could try picking them up and putting them in the new nests, just to get them to explore it as an option. My guess is most of them will still go to the nests they're used to (and I wouldn't block them off as I'd rather they lay somewhere predictable).

Ill give that a try! I might also try to move the broody and her "eggs" to the new boxes, to free up the old ones and give her more privacy.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ill give that a try! I might also try to move the broody and her "eggs" to the new boxes, to free up the old ones and give her more privacy.

How set is the broody? I don't have experience hatching with a broody but if she's not well set there's the risk of her broodiness breaking (or simply her abandoning the box) if moved.

 

[PurpleCArTires]

How set is the broody? I don't have experience hatching with a broody but if she's not well set there's the risk of her broodiness breaking (or simply her abandoning the box) if moved.

Oh she is persistant. Been sitting in there for a week on plastic eggs lol. And before i gave in, i tried to break her. Kicked her our repeatedly and she would come running back in. Took all her eggs and she would just sit on the empty nest lol.

 

[PurpleCArTires]

Update. I decided to just move the broody for now. I blocked off the entrance to the first level and set her up with food and water. At first she wasnt happy. But then she settled down with her eggs and seems happy. I gave her 2 real eggs to sit on while the incubator hatches the rest. She can still see the rest of the flock, but wont be hogging the main nest boxes anymore. I like this set up, the babies will be protected from the others while they hatch and for a few days afterwards.

 

[aart]

I gave her 2 real eggs to sit on while the incubator hatches the rest.

Fake egg under her......or at the same incubation day as the eggs in the incubator?

 

[PurpleCArTires]

Fake egg under her......or at the same incubation day as the eggs in the incubator?

They are real eggs. They are only 3 days behind the eggs in the incubator. Ill be swapping them out for the ones that hatch and finish them in the incubator and sneak them back under her later or put them in the brooder if needed