poop in nest and roost

[1 old hen]

First how far should roost be from nest box and how high and what spacing needed? Second lot of poop in nest. Nest are 12x12x12 with lip use straw or hay in them. Nest right now are about 3 feet from roost made out of 2x4 up and down and 2x2 across to roost on goes 12in off floor to 12in from roof about 8 feet roost are at a angle. Have heard roost to close,or not dark enoufe need to cover with cloth,will make chics poop in nest and eat eggs. Thanks 1 old hen

 

[chick rookie]

my nesting boxes are 3.5ft of the floor. They have a ramp and they use it but should I lower for them? After reading this thread I went out and raised all my roosts, but now I wonder if I should move the nesting boxes?

 

[Belinda7]

It was a little pricey ($70) to buy enough linoleum to cover (2) 4x 8 floors, but it protects the wood floor of the coop, and I can just pull the linoleum out of the coop when I do major cleaning, and hose it off. I also had a scrap that was big enough for my roosting bars, and I put those on top of that scrap piece of linoleum. It's a breeze to move the roosting bars, pull the linoleum out, and "lose the poop!" My biggest issue now is that the poop freezes to the roosting bars!...I just insulated and added a heating lamp, so hopefully that will take care of that issue!

 

[BorneHomestead]

my roosts are about a foot away from the nesting boxes, with the lowest roost a foot off the ground staggering upwards to about 3 feet. very rarely do i ever see hens on the lower roosts. if you are finding excessive amount of poop in the nest it is most likely you have some that are sleeping in the nesting boxes. to fix that you can at night pull any hens sleeping in the boxes and place them on the roost. it may take a few nights or so until they will roost on the bars themselves.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

The number one and in my opinion the only reason that you have poop in the nests is because your chickens are roosting hence pooping in the nests instead of laying in them.

 

[1 old hen]

thanks will give it a try

 

[1 old hen]

thanks

 

[hdmax]

If the nest boxes are higher then the roost, they will roost in the nest instead of on the roost. You need to either lower the nest, or raise the roost. The distance apart in not an issue, just height.

 

[Hokum Coco]

How far should the roost be from a wall, 12-18" the ceiling 12-18" and the ground 24"..

I find my birds can spring up to their roost if they are within 2 feet. My coop has three levels 2 feet apart and they can utilize all levels of my 4x8 foot print coop. (I kept as many as 24 hens in my small coop no problems).

POOP BOARDS are the "BEST" addition yet. Handles well over ½ of the poop in my set up keeps ammonia smell in check 3½" below roost excellent for catching eggs laid through the night (roost are in cups for easier removal and cleaning). I recently friction fit a piece of vinyl flooring over my poop board.it makes clean up even easier; Pop out; Scrap; Hose; Pop in.

Even easier in the winter months flex over compost bin DONE!

Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new.

Easy peasy!.

 

[1 old hen]

good idea thanks