Scratching all the bedding out of nestbox....

[rubyrogue]

I have 26 hens. My one coop are smaller they were my first hens. They get comfy in the nestbox and make it "pretty" but they dont scratch around in it.
I just got 14 more layers. White Leghorns and Golden Sexlinks. They get in the nestbox and act like they are trying to dig through the bottom. I put more bedding in each day because they throw it all out. I have a three inch board across the front and fill it with pine shavings. By the end of the day there is maybe an inch, if that, left. The other day I was standing just outside the coop next to where the nestboxes come out and I heard a thunk. I was like that egg had to crack. It hit bare wood. It wasnt cracked but what can I do? If anything.

 

[Chick CJ]

You can line the bottom of the nest box with something they can't push out and then put the pine shavings down on that. Maybe some of that fake grass stuff used outdoors, or carpet scraps or rubber mats. Anything you could secure to the bottom of the box would work. I have the astro turf stuff nailed down to their ramp going into the coop so it's not so slippery, I bet it would work for the nesting boxes too.
CJ

 

[Joey8765]

Hey, would you could do is, if you have any sort of foam, or left over carpet from something, you could staple or nail it down into the nest boxes and then put litter over the top, that's what i did so when they lay it lands on something soft, when theyve scratched all the shavings out. Hope that helps!

Best of luck

Joseph

 

[teach1rusl]

You can also try a 5-6 inch lip rather than three. I bet that'll help tremendously! And if you just have a narrow board nailed there for a lip, it's easy to replace.