Rooster sleeping in the nest box?? Really??

[chicks4kids]

I got my first rooster today, a Polish, and I went out to lock up the coop and see what perch in the coop he had decided to claim, and low and behold he has claimed the nest box that ALL of my hens lay in. I have 5 nest boxes, and they all only use this particular one.

So, is he just doing this to prove something to them (or himself) or will this be regular thing? I just don't want him pooping in there. My girls keep this box immaculate. Should I just set precident and shoo him out now??

Anyone with experience on this?? Thanks!!

 

[basicliving]

Poor guy - he's probably just looking for something that feels safe in this new environment. I noticed that the baby chicks that my hens hatched out had to "earn" their spot on the roosts at night as they grew older. They started on the very lowest roost and would get pecked unmercifully if they tried to join the others a bit higher. They're slowly working their way up. I suspect introducing any new chicken will result in basically the same thing.

I would not let him sleep in the nest box and move him to the lowest roost each night. You may have to do this for a few nights in a row, but he'll get the idea and as he integrates into your flock, he'll work his way into the pecking order.

Penny