Rooster Sleeping in the Nesting Box

[Sadness Child]

So I have 5 pullets and 2 cockerels that are 4-5 months old. One cockerel is a Blue Jersey Giant named Freddy, the other is a Buckeye that was a runt as a chick, I have not weighed him yet his name is Tony. Tony is the one that is sleeping in the nesting box, normally I would have no problems with this, but he poops a lot in the box and kicks out the nesting materials. I got 3 pullets that are 2 months old, and 2 straight run that are also 2 months old. I know that one of the straight run is a rooster still trying to figure out if the other one who is a Silver Laced Polish a boy or girl. I have never heard Tony crow except for once when they both started crowing, I have seen him make a crowing motion, but never crow, so my brother thinks that Tony is not a rooster. Tony is friendly and not as flighty as Freddy. They both are fine together when I am out there with them, but there are signs of pecking/bullying on Tony, Tony has never made any "moves" on the girls. I try to push Tony out when I check on them in the night, but he just moves to another box.

 

[Mrs. K]

Take down milk jugs filled with water. At night when you shut them up, put jugs in the nest so that a bird won't fit in there, in the morning, take them out so birds can lay. Milk jugs fit nicely in my nests, two to a nest, but a box or anything that will fit tight enough not to let a bird in there, and heavy enough that they can't knock it out of the nest.

What I am saying in a convoluted way - is block of access to the nest at night, remove in morning.

 

[Sadness Child]

Ok, Thank You

 

[aart]

Block the nests completely, tack a piece of cardboard over the entrances.
What are your plans for the boys?

 

[Sadness Child]

I had planned on having a flock of about 15-30, but my parents shot that idea down. Before that, I got 5 chicks, I believe that 4 are pullets and one is a cockerel. Tony was a runt growing up and he is barely the size of my GLW that are the same age as him. I also saw him chasing on of the GLW around, I was assuming it was to mate with her. He only did it once it was him and her alone, Freddy was not there, but when she went near Freddy Tony stopped and started eating. I also picked Tony up and Freddy came rushing over to either see what was going on or to protect Tony, but I don't know because I put Tony down before Freddy got to me. I think that if Tony is undersized I will either get rid of him or make a bachleor flock with him and the other rooster we got. The chicks we have now are 2months old, I have 2 welsummer pullets a cuckoo maran pullet and 2 SR Polish.

 

[swamphiker]

Are your nesting boxes higher up than any of the roosts? Chickens will naturally seek the highest spot to roost at night.

 

[Sadness Child]

no they are not

 

[Ridgerunner]

At 4 to 5 months old the others are probably roosting. Freddy is dominant and probably will not allow Tony to roost with them so he seeks out a safe spot. Unfortunately that is your nests.

I don't know how big your coop is or how it is laid out. If you have room I'd suggest you build a separate roost, higher than the nests, lower than the main roosts, and horizontally separated from the main roost to give Tony a safe place to go that is not your nests. You can block off the nests and see if he finds it on his own, but I'd suggest you move him there after dark to show him where it is. If your coop is still light enough he can find his way back to the nests also blocking them off might be a good idea. An extra roost like this might come in real handy when you try to integrate those younger chicks. That's how I keep mine from sleeping in the nests.

I don't know if you 4 to 5 month old pullets are laying yet. If they are not they may start pretty soon. I'd want the nests open to them when they start so you don't teach them to lay somewhere else. One strategy people use is to block the nests after they have laid for the day but open them back up when the chickens have put themselves to bed at night so you don't have to be out there at the crack of dawn to open the nests back up. However it best suits your schedule.

The bachelor pad idea can be good too. With two or more cockerels in your flock I think it is a good idea to have a place ready so you can isolate one in a hurry if you need to.

 

[Sadness Child]

At 4 to 5 months old the others are probably roosting. Freddy is dominant and probably will not allow Tony to roost with them so he seeks out a safe spot. Unfortunately that is your nests.

I don't know how big your coop is or how it is laid out. If you have room I'd suggest you build a separate roost, higher than the nests, lower than the main roosts, and horizontally separated from the main roost to give Tony a safe place to go that is not your nests. You can block off the nests and see if he finds it on his own, but I'd suggest you move him there after dark to show him where it is. If your coop is still light enough he can find his way back to the nests also blocking them off might be a good idea. An extra roost like this might come in real handy when you try to integrate those younger chicks. That's how I keep mine from sleeping in the nests.

I don't know if you 4 to 5 month old pullets are laying yet. If they are not they may start pretty soon. I'd want the nests open to them when they start so you don't teach them to lay somewhere else. One strategy people use is to block the nests after they have laid for the day but open them back up when the chickens have put themselves to bed at night so you don't have to be out there at the crack of dawn to open the nests back up. However it best suits your schedule.

The bachelor pad idea can be good too. With two or more cockerels in your flock I think it is a good idea to have a place ready so you can isolate one in a hurry if you need to.

They are somewhat laying we got 2 bantam eggs 3 days ago and 1 GLW egg 2 days ago. I have gotten no more eggs. I might put a lower roost, but it might take some work, I also need to make sure he won't get pooped on.