Sleeping in nest boxes?

[BooksAreNerdy]

Most of my hens do not roost. They will roost during the day and I have seen several on the roost at bedtime, but most of them cram into a single nest box. I blocked it off with cardboard for a while and they all huddled up in front of it. The rooster has crowed twice, so I removed the cardboard to give them access.

So, are they going to lay in the boxes? Will they lay eggs in poop? Will I need to wash them? Are they safe to eat if they have poop on them? Will they choose one of the other boxes for laying?

I guess, really, none of the other questions matter as long as I know if and how to clean the eggs before storage and use. So, how do I wash them before storage and use if they have poop on them? Should I wash them if there is no poop on them as well?

Thanks!

 

[Judy]

Be sure the roost is comfortable enough to sleep on. It needs to be wide, like a fat branch or the wide side of a 2x4, because their toes don't reall curl comfortably around something narrow. Check at night to be sure there are no mites/lice living on the underside of the roost which then climb on the birds at night. Perhaps they don't have a good way to get down? They need some space to the side to flap down, or else a ladder or ramp.

It could be as simple as the nests being higher than the roosts. They naturally sleep in the highest place. You may have to set them on the roost by hand at night for a while, plus block off the nests at night, to train them. However you do it, you need to teach them not to sleep in the nests.

Many people throw away any egg that gets really poopy, including me. Egg shells are porous so it is a simple matter for bacteria to migrate inside. I wash small smears off for eating. This should be done in water that is warmer than the egg, to cause bacteria to migrate out rather than in. I just hold them under running warm water and rub gently. I never wash a clean egg, but many people do, and commercials are required to. It's a personal choice. It's also not a good idea to incubate a poopy egg.

 

[BooksAreNerdy]

I just peeked in and 7 (half) of them are on one of the roosts. The other roost is empty. I tried grabbing them and they were still awake and fighting. I blocked off the boxes again and will try after dark to move them again. We plan to butcher 6, so maybe the remaining birds will migrate to to roost naturally?