problem keeping nest boxes full of nesting material

[BigOJoe]

i have 24 hens / 18 nest boxes, plenty of places to lay their eggs. I'm having a problem keeping the nesting material in the nest boxes. whether I use pine shavings, wheat straw or bermuda hay, the hens have them all emptied out and start breaking eggs walking around in their nest boxes and then eating the eggs.

to have all these choices to lay their eggs, the hens tend to use just one or two boxes. there will be 2 birds in the box at one time sometimes. I've tried just refilling the 2 nest they are using and can't keep up with them.

the nest boxes are about 12" x 12" x 12" with a 1x3 board as a lip on the front bottomof the box, and every day they are cleaned out.

any suggestions?

 

[La Mike]

Astro turf and hope they get tired of tryin to throw it out

 

[grasjm36]

I just use straw and shove a TON in the boxes and sort of create a nest with my hands. Of course they push lots out but if you shove enough in, it should last awhile. I read on here to place fake eggs in each box to help spread out the eggs (and eliminate egg eating).

I had plastic easter eggs around the house. I filled the eggs with oyster shell (it was abundant haha) and glued them shut. I filled them with the shell so they were heavier like a real egg and the girls wouldnt push them out of the box. It worked for me. Good luck!

 

[Chick CJ]

I'd try something like astro turf too. Tack it down in the bottom and lay your shavings/straw over the top of it. Try not to have any of it fraying though and keep an eye on it because I have some tacked to my ramp so it's not slippery when it rains and I find them pulling at the frayed edges and trying to eat it sometimes! I do find that my girls kick out less stuff if I make a small bowl in the middle of the nesting box my self when I'm setting them up and I use both pine shavings in the bottom and then straw on top of that.
CJ

 

[newchicksnducks]

For a quick, easy, and usually FREE solution to the broken eggs when laying problem, line the bottom of the nest box with cardboard cut to the size of the nest box floor. Place shavings, etc on top of that. You will probably need to add a higher ledge to the front of the nest box. I was having similar problems, cardboard solved the one, an extra inch wide strip of wood to the front of the box solved the second problem. Good luck. If they are eating eggs, you may have another problem - I haven't had to deal with that one...don't wanna either!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

The nest boxes should be at least eight to ten inches deep. Line the bottom with some metal window screening, then put in your nest litter.

It won't completely eliminate the problem, but it will slow it down a lot.

.....Alan.