Pullets Won't Go Near Nesting Boxes Thanks to Big Girls

[PulletNewbie]

I have four Red Stars that are wonderful companions -- and patient with me when I need a chicken hug. As expected, though, they are gleefully domineering over the seven mixed brown egg layers I got Dec. 1 from My Pet Chicken. The now 5-month-old pullets are close to reaching egg laying maturity (one of the Black Orps even went into the submissive crouch last night so that I could pick her up and hug on her). However, the four RSs roost in the coop with the five nesting boxes -- using none of them, by the way. They prefer to lay their eggs all together in a hay-lined rubber feed pan.

The seven pullets roost in the rafters of the wire mesh-enclosed run where the feeder and waterers are. Very public space.

How do I get the pullets to work up the courage to go into the coop with the eventual goal of getting them to use nest boxes?

Should I give up and build nest boxes in the run?

Thanks!!

 

[aart]

How big is your coop?
How big are you nests and how are they configured that the RS won't use them?
Pics would help.

 

[PulletNewbie]

Wish I could post pics but the Backyard Chickens anti-spam philosophy is to block user ability to upload pictures until there has been sufficient interaction with the website/forums. I haven't reached that point yet, apparently. Maybe I should post a bunch of smiley faces to other users happy posts to up my count.

Sigh.

The coop is 4-feet wide by 9 feet with a ceiling height of 8 feet. the attached run, which the gals have access to through a large open door at the top of the coop as well as a chicken-size door at the floor level, is 14 feet long, 9 feet wide with an overall height of 10 feet.

The five nesting boxes inside the coop are configured side-by-side, made of 3/4-inch pine plywood, roughly 12 inches cubed, stuffed with hay and are about 10 inches off the ground. The girls have used them intermittently when I put decoy "eggs" in there but we all enjoy the convenience of having the big plastic feed pan. Makes it very easy to gather the eggs from one spot.

Will keep trying with the photo thing...

Thanks for the quick reply!!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Wish I could post pics but the Backyard Chickens anti-spam philosophy is to block user ability to upload pictures until there has been sufficient interaction with the website/forums. I haven't reached that point yet, apparently. Maybe I should post a bunch of smiley faces to other users happy posts to up my count.

I've seen plenty of users with fewer posts than you have successfully upload and share photos in their posts

 

[PulletNewbie]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Unfortunately, that is the information I received when I contacted Backyard Chickens support. That's how I learned it was a policy to help keep spammers at bay... I wanted to enter a pic of my seven dust bathing... got a "no permission" pop-up message.

Will keep trying.

 

[Peeps61]

Once your younger girls begin to lay, show them the nesting boxes when the older hens are busy with something else. Put the decoy eggs in them so that they get the idea. I have different aged birds in the flock, and they all lay in the same spot when I have locked in the coop. Typically, the more dominant birds will lay first, then the others will lay. But, I've seen two birds on one nest at the same time - sometimes more! It's just a matter of getting them all used to where they are supposed to lay, or, in your case, just getting the pullets to go there and lay since the RS lay in the feed pan. Just condition them to do what YOU want them to do!

 

[PulletNewbie]

Nope. Still getting the "You Don't Have Permission to Create Attachments" pop-up message when I click on the paper clip.

Thanks for the advice. I'm looking forward to asserting my Momma-ness on the pullets over the coming days. The trick will be to convince them to enter the coop in the first place. Unless I catch them individually and place them in the coop, they ain't gonna go through that little floor-level door -- no telling what chicken-killing monsters are lurking through there, right?! (ha)

Yesterday I took the four recently laid eggs from the feed pan and put them into the nesting boxes. Haven't been home yet to check if any young lady spotted them...

Appreciate you!!

 

[aart]

Use the image icon (mountain with sun) instead of the paperclip to insert pics, you do need to buy a special membership to use the paperclip to attach documents.

Sounds like space might be at a minimum, nests sound OK, is there a perch in front of them?...plus newly laying pullets are kinda goofy.

 

[PulletNewbie]

Ahhh... Thanks for the tip on the icon. I love this forum to the point where I am happy to give it financial support but I will definitely try the mountain/sun icon.

Happy to announce we have now gathered our first 2 eggs from the pullets. They are, to my husband's surprise, half the size of the mature ladies' eggs. He wants to take them to show his golf buddies tomorrow.

(How's THAT for a why-mess-with-chickens convert?!)

And, it's laid in the feed pan with the big girls.

The only reason I'm really wanting to convince the gals to use the nesting boxes is the chance they decide to go into the space below the coop. It is of sufficient height for grown girls to sit under for shade and cross breeze. (It's the space created when a one-piece 18-foot coop and run is leveled on a slope...) If the little gals decide to lay eggs under there then they could be irretrievable.

If everyone is happy, for now, laying in the same spot and waiting their turn to do it, then I'm happy.

Love how you kind counselors are there for me!!! (and the acknowledgement that new layers are kinda goofy... brings back memories of being a 14-year-old know-it-all!)

 

[Amina]

Would it be possible to make curtains to block the view between where ever your older hens are and where the nest boxes are? I had to do that when my flock was fighting over roost space and my older chickens wouldn't let the younger ones roost, even though the younger ones were on a totally separate roost on the opposite side of the coop. I just hung up an empty feed bag to block the view from one roost to the other.