Should I place the nest boxes in the coop now?

[Babe77]

With problems that can arise with having the chicks sleeping in the nest boxes and not the roosts, I am looking for opinions.

We will be moving our 7 week olds in the coop for the first time on Tuesday (keeping fingers crossed). We just finished the nest boxes today and have yet to put them into place. If you had a choice of placing the nest boxes in the coop now or waiting until they know that the roosts are for sleeping and the nest box for laying eggs, which would be better? I say wait and the DH says lets just put it in now.

 

[nivtup]

i would wait a good while.

 

[al6517]

I waited until mine were well aquainted with the roost procedures, then when the nest boxes appeared they knew they were for laying.

AL

 

[Eggie and Me]

I'd wait. Our gals are 15 wks and we blocked their nesting boxes because ALL 7 of them want and have been sleeping in the same large nesting box. Wish I would have waited. Guess that's why hind site is always 20/20...

 

[quiltnchik]

DH has our nest box blocked off from the chicks for now. They're nearly 12 weeks old, so the nest box won't be opened up to them for quite a few more weeks. I say leave the nest boxes out and don't put them in until it's time for your girls to start laying...

 

[cafarmgirl]

My chicks went out to the coop at 5 weeks. They are now 17 weeks old and we just yesterday put up the nest boxes. Better to wait until they are used to their roosts.

 

[Bridget399]

Anytime I change anything in my coop, it takes my chickens a good while to adjust to it. I would put them in, and just block them for now. We nailed (only using 2 nails) a long skinny leftover piece of plywood to the front of my nesting boxes.
I just hung their waterers and feeders yesterday and they made so much noise when they went back in for the night! I think they will be happy about it because it's much cleaner now, but if you could have heard that ruckus!

I'm just afraid to change anything too close to laying time because I don't want to stress them out.
Just my 2 cents!

 

[wildorchid053]

we have our nest boxes in from the start but no bedding just plain wood.. they haven't gotten into them at all.. they are dusty so you would see foot prints. i hope they get into them when we add straw lol