The girls are doing great. I finally finished my hen house and got them out there when they were about 7 weeks old. I have 6 chickens; 2 Bard Rocks, 2 Rhode Island Reds and 2 Golden Comets.I built, what I thought, were three relly nice looking nesting boxes but the girls haven't been in them yet. They are two feet off the floor. They sleep on a low roost about a foot high right in front of the nesting boxes. Usually there's 3 on the roost and 3 nestled in the corner below the roost. There are 2 other places for them to roost but they like the low one.
I'm thinking they'll use the nesting boxes when it's time and that it is fortunate they aren't messing them up at this time while they're still to young to lay. On the other hand should I be concerned that they are ignoring them.
Everything else w/ the girls is fine. I fenced in a portion of the yard around the coop so they can free range and still have protection and they seem to like the new outside roost I just put up for them. It's my understanding that they should start laying at around 20 weeks.
Thanks for the help.
All the Best,
dickschicks
