Q's and Eggs

[eastbaychicks]

I am about to put my birdies into a newly built coop (ok maybe in a week or so), and I have some questions.

First, how do you get hens that have been laying eggs in no nest-box (they all just dug a hole and use it), to convert over to a new real live nesting box?

Second, how do you keep the babies from thinking the nesting boxes are just for sleeping?

Third, could one use an egg that was blown (you know make holes at both ends and blow out the insides) for a decoy? Or are golf balls the IT thing.

Any other suggestions on getting the girls all jazzed about using their new home?

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I'd use golf balls; the blown eggs might not be sturdy enough. They are going to lay where they want to anyway so get used to looking everywhere. I have 5 hens and 3 nesting boxes and they prefer to lay in the nest they made behind the door. Might want to sacrifice a couple eggs (mark them so you know which is which) and leave them in the nesting boxes. You might get lucky and have a couple that will lay there.

If they are sleeping there, make sure you change the bedding frequently. They tend not to lay in a poopy nest (learned that the hard way

 

[Metanoia]

You can buy sand filled plastic eggs from fodder stores. You could also just use a golf ball. They like laying where someone has already laid.

When my youngest kept sleeping in the box I'd pick her up each night and put her on the perch. She learnt after 2 weeks that nest boxes aren't for sleeping and I rarely change the nest box bedding because of that. Its nice and clean in there.

If you don't have anyone laying you could shut off the boxes by putting something in or over them and open them in the morning again. But if you have layers or some that are about to start laying the first option is probably better.

I had one who wasn't laying in the boxes, and laid on the floor next to them instead. I caught her one day sitting on the floor and doing nesting behaviour so I picked her up and popped her in a box. Haven't had a problem since.