Sleeping in nesting boxes

[JENx]

Well i am new to chickens, had 3 ex-battery since august, but i think i've been a bit slow realising that the chickens are meant to roost at night! That is on the perch! Mine sleep in the nesting box! I have seen them on the perch, but less now its cold, they are always snuggled up together in the nest box.

It is a pain that i'm always trying to keep it clean, i hate them lying in their mess!

But does it really matter where they sleep? if so, how do i change it?

 

[hollyandty]

Mine did the same thing and so I would go out at night when it was dark enough and move them over to the roost. It took me almost a week of doing this every night but they finally all sleep on the roost. It stopped the messy nest boxes and now I get all clean eggs. Since then I have started putting 2x2s in the brooder to teach the chicks early on.

 

[dani2]

Hi we have the same problem our nesting boxes fold closed in the front to keep people out I kick everybody out in the evening and close it up most have started sleeping somewhere else we have lots of perches but some still just sleep on the floor. It seems after a few weeks of training where not to sleep they do start to get better.

 

[JENx]

I have just thought our coup/run came with a piece of wood to slide in to seperate the nesting boxes from the perch. I wondered why you might need it! Now i have to find it!

They do look warm and comfy in their nest though!!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If they are ex-battery hens then they have never roosted in the lives before most likely. Do you have some chickens that are roosting properly you can put in with them? They'll soon get the idea. Especially if you close off the nest boxes at night.

.....Alan.

 

[gritsar]

Are your roosts higher than your nestboxes? Whichever is higher, that's where they are going to want to roost at night. I agree with moving them each and every night till they get the idea.
Sleeping in the nestboxes is a big no-no in my coop and my hens know it.

 

[kristen2678]

Mine did that for months. When they got too big to stuff themselves into the nest box they started to use the roost. Battery hens have never roosted so they probably need some guidence. Move them at night. It might take a week or so, but they'll get it. Good for you getting the ex-batts. I looked around, but couldn't find any in my area.