New nesting boxes...no cockerels allowed!

[Duckfarmer1]

Wish it could be that easy..put up a little sign, and the cockerels would stay out of the pullets nesting boxes...hmmm....

Today we made the boxes that everyone in our last ongoing thread about new eggs..sais I should have my boxes ready. Well I have 2 15 weeks pullets and 5 cockerels. They are NHR.. I personally don’t think they are anywhere near ready..no red combs..no squatting...etc...but perhaps I’m wrong. I told Chris we only needed two boxes but he came back with plans for 6 ...so we went for it...lol...ridiculous..,but, when we get spring chicks...
So, now it’s in. It’s actually in the coop..our other one, for the adult chickens is attached to the back..they go up a ladder or fly up into a rectangle and then There’s a long hallway With 8 boxes. The new one is in the coop...six boxes, there’s a ledge but no wall to enclose the boxes...we might have to do theater..I’m asking for opinions.....so then the ledge would be a hallway and the boxes.
In the other coop..Spike, our BR rooster, goes in from time to time to check things out but never disturbs the nest boxes. Plus..very very rarely have I ever had poop on the hallway..they are very clean in there.
I’m sure this will not be the case with the pullets and cockerels..first, those guys shouldn’t even be in there..even if we enclose it..they can still go in....plus they won’t know what it is...they loved it while we were putting it in...but ...we’ll...if they poop in it now..how do I stop them and research them the right behavior?

 

[tacothechicken]

Are they going in the day or are they sleeping in them? Is there nesting material in the boxes? Have your girls used said boxes yet? Depending on the answer you can put up a cover in evenings to keep them from sleeping in them, change whatever bedding your using as sometimes birds cannot resist scratching through straw or shavings, or play 'head Roo' and scare the daylights outta them for going near the girls boxes eventually once they nests are in use the boys will be taught to leave it alone either way as girls are very possessive over their boxes

 

[azygous]

Actually, some roosters do sometimes use the nest boxes. Young cockerels, like young pullets, become curious about the nesting boxes as their hormones begin to activate. This is normal, if messy.

Be prepared for some activity in the nest boxes as your adolescent birds familiarize themselves with the nests. This is an important stage in their development, and it will help to direct them to lay their eggs in the proper place.

Back to the role of cockerels and roosters in nesting activities. Many roosters have a nesting urge and will climb into a nest and fluff it up, chattering away to entice a hen to use it. My roosters both have this urge and will not only climb into the nest boxes, but will "discover" cozy places outdoors for a nesting spot. Hens will respond, and while they will agree to use a nesting box the rooster has recommended, I have yet to see any agree that the dark corner on the rocks behind the coop is an ideal place to lay eggs.

This "exploration" stage doesn't last long enough to get truly irritating, so try to be patient with your young boys and girls as they engage in what to them is a natural part of growing up.

I totally agree that nesting is strictly a daytime activity, and they shouldn't be permitted in the nests at night, any of them.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Ok, sounds great..yesterday is when we put them in..so I wanted to know, how to prevent pooping in there from the young ones since they are clueless...I checked this morning and the shavings weren’t even touched....and no poop on the hallway..so, I guess I’ll let them check it out and entice the pullets..it’s so pathetic with only two pullets this time...speaking of this..when do we finally integrate them in with my adult chickens...I am thinking in the spring when we have chosen the rooster to replace Spike..poor Spike..he’s not even so bad anymore....

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's possible that pullets can lay as early as 16 weeks. Not likely but possible. It is possible they will start laying in a month when the days are as short as they are going to get. It is possible they will not start laying until your days get longer and warm up. I've had all these happen. Just because something is possible doesn't mean it is guaranteed to happen.

I may have been one to tell you to open them up now to determine if you have a problem so you can deal with it before you start to get dirty eggs. Sounds like you may have a problem so lets deal with it.

It sounds like the adults are in one coop and run and the pullets/cockerels are in a separate coop and run. They do not have access to each other. Is this correct? Can you post photos showing this area and the roosts and how the nests and roosts are related? That might help a lot.

Are they sleeping in the nests at night or are they only in here during the day? Is it all of them or just a few?

If during the day, are they pooping in the nests and staying in there or just visiting and scratching around? As Azygous mentioned, if they are just scratching around it's pretty normal behavior. If they are hiding in there it's likely they are afraid of the dominant cockerel or cockerels and looking for someplace safe. Or if that dominant rooster has access to them they may be hiding from him.

If it is at night, why are they sleeping in there? Are the roosts higher than the nests? How much roost space do you have? Do some sleep on the roosts. It could have something to do with your roosts, it could be bullies scaring them off the roosts.

I see you posted while I was typing. It sounds like you don't have a problem, great! I'll post this anyway, partly because it took time to type but also in case you do see this behavior later. With cockerels that age it's possible things could change.

 

[getaclue]

Did I misunderstand, or am I reading this right...You have 2 pullets, and 5 cockerels?

 

[Shadrach]

Roosters and cockerels are supposed to go into the nest boxes. They help the hens decide on what is and what isn't a suitable nest site.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

It's possible that pullets can lay as early as 16 weeks. Not likely but possible. It is possible they will start laying in a month when the days are as short as they are going to get. It is possible they will not start laying until your days get longer and warm up. I've had all these happen. Just because something is possible doesn't mean it is guaranteed to happen.

I may have been one to tell you to open them up now to determine if you have a problem so you can deal with it before you start to get dirty eggs. Sounds like you may have a problem so lets deal with it.

It sounds like the adults are in one coop and run and the pullets/cockerels are in a separate coop and run. They do not have access to each other. Is this correct? Can you post photos showing this area and the roosts and how the nests and roosts are related? That might help a lot.

Are they sleeping in the nests at night or are they only in here during the day? Is it all of them or just a few?

If during the day, are they pooping in the nests and staying in there or just visiting and scratching around? As Azygous mentioned, if they are just scratching around it's pretty normal behavior. If they are hiding in there it's likely they are afraid of the dominant cockerel or cockerels and looking for someplace safe. Or if that dominant rooster has access to them they may be hiding from him.

If it is at night, why are they sleeping in there? Are the roosts higher than the nests? How much roost space do you have? Do some sleep on the roosts. It could have something to do with your roosts, it could be bullies scaring them off the roosts.

I see you posted while I was typing. It sounds like you don't have a problem, great! I'll post this anyway, partly because it took time to type but also in case you do see this behavior later. With cockerels that age it's possible things could change.

I’ll post pictures tomorrow, or maybe later..getting sick and it’s raining...but, no problems so far, everyone snuggles, roosts are higher than nesters... I don’t think they will lay until spring but others are getting eggs so I figured best to get prepared. And I’m just asking about putting them all together because I simply don’t know the timing. The cages are connected with the wire fence..so they see each other constantly.

 

[Fueron]

I’m guessing they will start laying when the days start getting longer, unless you use artificial light. If you’re planning on breeding, I’d put together a trio with the two pullets and your best cockerel, and cull the other cockerels. Cockerels poking around in the nesting boxes is fine, as long as they aren’t sleeping in there and pooping.

 

[azygous]

All right then, let's talk about integrating the fifteen-week olds with the adult flock. I've skimmed the thread but can't seem to find where you tell us how many adults you have and how old they are. That info would help decrease the amount of erroneous advice some of us are going to try to provide.

Many of us do not wait until chicks are grown to integrate them with an adult flock. The reason is that the older they get, chicks become more of a challenge to the social order, while the younger they are, the less impact they have on the flock's individuals.

I brood in my run so the chicks and adults are integrating as the chicks grow and mature. The chicks are safely mingling with the adults by age two weeks, using a panic room setup as a safe refuge.

As the chicks reach the age of approximately ten weeks, they are very much a part of the flock. However, they do still need a bit of safety in the way of places to eat in peace and rest without being ambushed by a ornery bully who thinks picking on youngsters is great sport and high entertainment.

At ten weeks they are too large for their panic room so I provide an elevated platform where their food is located. This assures they always get enough to eat and develop self confidence to hold their own against even the most determined bully. These pullets pictured are now seven months old and no longer require this special feeding platform.