Pullets & Cockerels won't stay out of nest boxes during the day

[HippyGardener]

I have a mixed age flock that I can't yet separate. The younger birds that aren't laying yet won't stay out of the nest boxes. I have them all sleeping on the roost at night, but all day long the young ones want to hang out in the nest boxes. The roost is way higher than the nest boxes, so I don't really get why they'd rather lay in the boxes than roost. It seems like bedding down in the hay would be a hotter place to be than up on the roost.

It's very frustrating because they are blocking the laying hens from being able to use them as well as dirtying them up. I'm about ready to ring their little necks (not literally, it's just getting on my last nerves).

Any suggestions?

 

[lazy gardener]

How big is your coop and run? How many adult birds, how many Littles, and what are the ages of the Littles? I'm wondering if the Littles are feeling intimidated? Generally, unless a bird is laying, or is broody, she doesn't spend time in the boxes during the day unless she is being bullied.

 

[HippyGardener]

It's a 10x10 chain link dog pen that I'm using as a coop. 14 birds. They're not in the run yet because I'm still adding netting across the top to keep a couple of them from flying out. But they have plenty of room and plenty of roost in the "coop". The youngest ones are 4 months old. I'm out there many times a day and no one is getting bullied. They are just lazing about in the next boxes. I am using milk crates on top of cinder blocks as nest boxes until I can get a better option built to put out (so close, almost done). The older hens that are laying will go in the crates just to lay, they never just hang out in there. But the youngons, both genders, want to lay down in there and just park. It took me a few weeks to get them all on the roost at night, but now they know that's where they sleep at night.

 

[aart]

HuH!
I'm surprised the hens are not shoving them out of the nests.
How are the hens reacting to the youngin's in the nests??
If you're out there a lot, just toss them out of the nests yourself.

 

[HippyGardener]

I do that everytime I go out there! They even sometimes take off out of the nests when they see me coming across the yard. HAHA!!!! The hens don't seem to care, or at least won't throw them out. I keep trying to explain to them that's what they need to do. As soon as I throw the kids out and clean out the poop the hens get all excited about the boxes and will usually hop in a lay an egg shortly after. We're building a nice wooden nest box on legs and I'm hoping things might be a little different when we get it out there. I'm adding some nails so I can block it off with wire at night to discourage the littles from getting in it first thing in the morning before I can get out there.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree with Aart, why aren't the hens taking care of the problem as far as the young ones blocking the nests?

What's probably happening is that the younger ones are afraid of the older ones and are hiding in the nests. I think your lack of a run is contributing to the problem so I'd give finishing that a top priority. When my juveniles avoid the adults by hiding in the coop they usually go to the roosts or hide under the nests as my nests are pretty close to the floor. But I have enough room outside that they just stay in different areas outside most of the time. I have had some groups that stay in the coop a lot though, each brood is different.

 

[HippyGardener]

They don't seem afraid of the older hens at all. Everyone is getting along fine. They eat together, drink together and hang out all mixed together at other times. The hens will sometimes lounge on the floor next to the nest boxes with the littles up in them. They don't act like they're hiding at all. They are just hunkering down in there instead of roosting from all I can tell. Maybe my hens are just too passive to throw them out. LOL!

 

[aart]

Get the run done...and keep the youngsters out of the coop during the day.

 

[HippyGardener]

Get the run done...and keep the youngsters out of the coop during the day.

Working hard on that as our budget and schedule allow. They will still go into the "coop" (aka dog pen) for shade though. The nest boxes I'm building is up on legs, so maybe they will be content to chill out under it instead of in it.

 

[lazy gardener]

If the only covering over that run that you are using for a coop is chain link, you have a serious issue with predator security. They are at risk from any paw that can reach through the link, as well as a weasel that will climb through the link, and is capable of killing the whole flock in a single night.