Pooping in the nesting box ..

[Newfarmer36]

I have 5 hens. I put 3 nesting boxes in the coop and a section below the boxes just in case they wanted to lay there. It's about 4 1/2 feet long and about 2 1/2 feet wide. Well, my girls all want to lay in the same nesting box! Theyre square milk crates so theres not much room in them. They only want to poop in the others. What can i do to keep them from all laying in the same box?

 

[Teila]

I only have 5 bantams and 2 nest boxes currently but they used to have 3 nest boxes and they still fought over the same one.

Even now, with 2 nest boxes, 1 never gets used and all the eggs are in the one box. If someone is using the favourite box, rather than use the other one, anyone wanting to lay will jump up and down and complain that someone is in her nest box

Having said that, the pooping in the nest boxes is not normal or ideal. Is this during the day or when you say “lay in the boxes” is this at night and they are sleeping in the nest box?

 

[ChickNanny13]

I had 5 Wyandottes, 2 nest boxes, they all chose to lay in one ... If they had to lay at the same time, they were all in there. I now have 4 BOs, had 2 nest boxes, they all chose to lay in one & I've seen all 4 in the nest at the same time.

You could try putting fake eggs in the other boxes but they'll lay where they want.

My nest box is a big plastic dog house (PetMate 290706). The 2nd was 2x3 enclosed plastic tray. I removed the 2nd nest box.

 

[CCUK]

I have 5 hens. I put 3 nesting boxes in the coop and a section below the boxes just in case they wanted to lay there. It's about 4 1/2 feet long and about 2 1/2 feet wide. Well, my girls all want to lay in the same nesting box! Theyre square milk crates so theres not much room in them. They only want to poop in the others. What can i do to keep them from all laying in the same box?

All my hens like to lay in only two of nesting boxes. They do like to follow the crowd. So if they all lay in one favourite box , that how they like it! You can try and stop them sleeping in there by providing perches that are higher than the nest boxes. If they still want to sleep in nest boxes try blocking them off after they have all layed or before they go in at night. Egg boxes work well.

 

[rebrascora]

You can try to make the other nest boxes more attractive. Hanging curtains... strips of old feed bag stapled to the top to hang down and make it dark and secluded will often help. It will usually be the darkest nest box in a corner which is the favoured one for hat reason. I'm assuming that they are pooping I the nest boxes at night and that is usually because it is a better place than the roost provided. Making the roost more favourable will be key to changing that behaviour. Make sure the roost is higher, easily accessible, comfortable and secure ie it doesn't tilt or move, not in a draught etc. Make sure the roost ends are not infested with red mites particularly if they have suddenly changed behaviour and moved away from the roost bars.

 

[chickens really]

Hang a curtain over each nest box..Chickens like privacy so that one being used might be more private?

 

[jthornton]

I have 5 hens. I put 3 nesting boxes in the coop and a section below the boxes just in case they wanted to lay there. It's about 4 1/2 feet long and about 2 1/2 feet wide. Well, my girls all want to lay in the same nesting box! Theyre square milk crates so theres not much room in them. They only want to poop in the others. What can i do to keep them from all laying in the same box?

Take the rest out, you only need one nest box for 5 girls.

JT

 

[Newfarmer36]

I only have 5 bantams and 2 nest boxes currently but they used to have 3 nest boxes and they still fought over the same one.

Even now, with 2 nest boxes, 1 never gets used and all the eggs are in the one box. If someone is using the favourite box, rather than use the other one, anyone wanting to lay will jump up and down and complain that someone is in her nest box

Having said that, the pooping in the nest boxes is not normal or ideal. Is this during the day or when you say “lay in the boxes” is this at night and they are sleeping in the nest box?

They stay in the coop until i get home from work around 2:15. So honestly, i dont know when they do it. They sleep on top of them instead of on a perch like they're supposed to also.

 

[jthornton]

They stay in the coop until i get home from work around 2:15. So honestly, i dont know when they do it. They sleep on top of them instead of on a perch like they're supposed to also.

Do you have a photo of the inside of the coop?

JT

 

[Newfarmer36]

I had 5 Wyandottes, 2 nest boxes, they all chose to lay in one ... If they had to lay at the same time, they were all in there. I now have 4 BOs, had 2 nest boxes, they all chose to lay in one & I've seen all 4 in the nest at the same time.

You could try putting fake eggs in the other boxes but they'll lay where they want.

My nest box is a big plastic dog house (PetMate 290706). The 2nd was 2x3 enclosed plastic tray. I removed the 2nd nest box.

I was thinking about doing the fake egg this but I wasn't sure if it would work. I'll go get some.