Pooping in Nesting Box

[powellchicks]

I introduced three new hens into the coop that are a little younger than my others. They all started pooping in the nesting boxes and making a mess. They are not ready to lay eggs yet so I have closed off the nesting boxes so they do not have access right now. The oldest girls are about 14 weeks now. When should I open up the nesting boxes again. Any other suggestions for this?

 

[Linn Bee]

As long as your roosts are higher than your nesting boxes, all your chickens should eventually prefer roosting at night to sleeping in the nesting boxes. If the younger chicks are being pecked when they try roosting they might see the boxes as 'safer'. Once they are accepted into the flock they will probably roost.

 

[MonsterClucker]

I have the same issue. Just got some new pulleys and I they are the culprits of the poppy nest box. The way my roosts are, are parallel to the nest boxes. I'm trying to figure out a way to build they're roosts up higher... I believe this is the only solution??

Anxious to see your resolution powellchicks

 

[powellchicks]

Unfortunately our roosts are the same height or lower than the nesting boxes. I guess I will have to keep them out for now and maybe they will get used to roosting to sleep. Some even lay down on the floor to sleep at night.

 

[powellchicks]

Here is picture of our coop. Chickens are much bigger now and there is a run. We have double decker nesting boxes behind my little monkey.

 

[BeulahBreezes]

My henhouse has the roosting bars parallel to the nesting boxes too. 2 weeks ago I decided to close off the nesting boxes because of the sleeping and pooping that was taking place in them. Now all 4 are sleeping on the roost bars. Thinking of opening one nest box and see how they do...? I think I'll put some pine bedding and a golf ball or 2 in the open box.........want to encourage my gals! (March 21 and March 28............eggs soon I hope! lol!) ~Beulah

 

[powellchicks]

Right now they are blocked off with cardboard and thumb tacks. Beulah, yours are about the same age as mine. I figure I won't get eggs until September. I have heard about the golf balls before but what is pine bedding? Is that wood chips? What about hay?

 

[MsRiderUp]

I'm having the same problem, but only since I removed the taller roost that was above the nest boxes. There's a chicken ladder up to this separated off area with pine shaving floor.

My largest chicken got bumblefoot, and when I read up on it I read that the roosts shouldn't be higher than 16 inches to discourage the bumblefood (also disinfected and sanded down the roosts). I had heard the chickens jumping off the roosts and they sounded like they had a hard landing, so I decided to take the problem of too high roosts out of the bumblefoot equation.

Also have new hens, so now none of my 8 chickens are laying (winter starting here, and no artificial lighting . . .). Everyone wants to crowd up into the separated roost/nesting box area, even though I put the other roost in the open pen part of the coop. I put in plywood boards to make the pen part less windy, and more like an additional room, but none of the hens want to sleep on it . . .

I guess I need to completely close the guillotine door to the nesting box area at night, forcing everyone to move into the pen area. Maybe put another roost there?

Anyone have any better ideas? I do want to encourage the hens to lay eggs --- but no poop!

Thanks for input.