Roosting in nest!

[PrestonSloan08]

My chickens and roosters are roosting in the nests!!

why? And how do I stop it?

 

[Judy]

How old are they? If younger than laying age, they may switch on their own, or at least mine always have. If your nests are higher than your roosts you really should lower them as they like the highest place they can sleep. You can cover them at night, or simply cover them til the chickens start laying, if they are young.

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

Hi PrestonSloan08. Getting them to roost on the roosts and not the nest boxes sometimes takes patience and persistence. What worked for me with my 3 older hens was every night after they were settled in the coop for the evening, I would check the coop, and if someone was in the nest box, I would pick her up and set her on the roost. Also, I started blocking off the nest boxes just before roost time (when I knew they were all done laying for the day), then open them up early the next morning. I did this for a couple of weeks, and after that had no further problems. I'm going through this now with the younger chicks I just integrated with my older girls. Chickens can be quite persistent, but so can I! Also, make sure you have enough roosts so even the lowest in the pecking order can find a place to roost. Good luck to you!

 

[PrestonSloan08]

Well the nest boxes are on the ground because they are silkies and can not fly! And they are 2 so definatly old enough to lay!! But I think that right now one is making a nest in it!! What does it look like when a chicken makes a nest? Because my old ones have never used them befor!!