Questions???

[melisajov]

I have two Questions:

1. I have two new chickens ( 9 Months old) that are sleeping in the laying beds. I try and go out to put them on the roost to roost and they just get off. There is plenty of room for the chickens to roost on the roost. Do I need to block the beds? What can I do to get them to stop doing this. They are pooping in the those beds and I don't want that to happen.

2. The two new chickens should be laying by now. They are 9 months old. I don't know if they are eating there own eggs or not. Is there a way to get them to lay in the laying beds??? Or to stop eating there eggs?

Any suggestion would help, Thanks

 

[jetdog]

Make sure that your roost is higher than the boxes, try putting them on the roost when it is dark out they should stay on it until it is light out.I put golf balls in the boxes to give them an idea where to lay and if they peck them they won't get to far. Blocking the boxes will surely keep them out.

 

[aart]

Good advice above...and if you just got them and they were laying before you got them, it just might take a few days for them to relax and start laying again. New environments can be stressful to them.

Took me a good week to convince the pullets that they were not going to be allowed to roost in the nests. They were being kept off the main roost by the older birds, so I put up another roost, same height, at 90 degrees from the main one. Blocked the nests for a few nights, but it was a pain to get out really early to uncover so the older birds could lay. Still took a few nights of moving them after dark and/or pushing them out of the nests just at dusk as everyone was going to roost.
I still go out at dusk to close pop door and make sure everyone is where they belong...every once in a while someone needs a reminder.

Just be calm and consistent and they will figure it out.