Pooping in the Nest Boxes. What the heck?!?

[AllChookUp]

I've had 3 mature hens and a rooster for over a week now. They've settled down pretty well, and are producing eggs daily.

But one box tends to have poop in the nest. I don't know if it's the rooster doing it or what.

Is this normal? How do I change this behavior?

 

[debbyluvschickens]

I dont know, but I hope someone does, I have the same problem...

 

[rooster-red]

If your nest boxes are the same height or higher than the roosts, they will sleep in them and poop them up. I found that lowering the nest box cured the problem.

 

[spook]

That is interesting as I have the "queens quarters", a separate "cage" above the roosts, it was to keep my roo in by night and I'd turn him loose by day, now it was for the new girl, that starting a nest in there....I can count on 3 eggs a day in the queens quarters, with poop. The nest boxes are clean and I get 2 eggs in there. Hmmm, now its got me thinking what to do next. Thanks for the article- good luck to you all.

 

[Jashdon]

Yeah, I have the same problem in our first coop. In the second coop I made the roosts much higher than the nesting boxes and haven't had a chicken turd in a nest box yet.

 

[Buddhistcowboy]

hello, I have a hen that is spending a good deal of time in the nesting box. I have not noticed poo in the box. Don't think she is sleeping in it. It is lower than the roost. Yet, about every time I visit the house she is in there warming eggs. She is in denial as there is no rooster. Does she need therapy or will this pass?

 

[PoultryPedia]

When my father-in-law had rows of nests, he used to place a long thin board in front in the evening halfway down the openings so the chickens couldn't get in and poop at night.
Me--I like my chickens to be able to sleep wherever they're happiest (and warmest in winter) so I just use a kitty litter scoop to remove poops every few days and toss in some more bedding as needed.

 

[Dawn419]

Quote:
Replied to your post here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=58754

Dawn