sleeping in nesting boxes?

[cami]

my chickens only sleep in the nesting boxes they wont roost i have no idea why but is it bad for them? will it affect there eggs/ egg laying?

 

[ZooMummzy]

I don't know why they do it....I have about 6 who sleep in mine all the time. It hasn't affected the egg laying or anything else. Whenever the other chickens want in the box to lay, they just throw these girls out lol. The only thing it has done is make the nest boxes messier. I have to clean them everyday.

 

[Kittymomma]

How old are they? Youngsters will often do this, but most outgrow it. Also how is your coop set up? If the nest boxes are higher then the roosts many chickens will prefer to sleep in them because they feel safer. They may also choose the nest boxes if the roosting bar is too small or if it's crowded and their neighbors peck at them.

 

[cami]

the roosting bar is about 4 feet long and they can all fit on it (there is 3 of them right now and the nesting boxes are below the bar. and yes they are young i bet they will grow out of it. thank you

 

[pinkchick]

I have a 3 year old Silver Laced Wyandotte that has slept in the nest box since she was old enough to get in 'em. I agree with Zoo, it hasn't hurt anything just makes the nest box messier and they need to be cleaned more often, I too have to clean them everyday. I have about 6 birds total that sleep in their nest boxes just like Zoo, the 3 year old gal, a 2 year old rooster and the others are youngsters about 4-5 months old. The roo throws a fit if I take him out and put him on the roost when I go out to put the chooks to bed. As soon as I shut the man door on the coop, the rooster has made a dive bomb off the roost where I just put him and I hear him jump back up to the nest box. He also fluffs every nest box after I clean them......he's a weirdo.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
I always have a few that will do this regardless of age and number of hens competing for roost space. In fact, I have a bank of 4 boxes in two rows both lower that the lowest roost bar and they insist on sleeping in the lower nests so it isn't height that is the reason. They're chickens so who really knows why they do the things they do. Yes it does make the nests messier but doesn't seem to lower the production or box usage.

 

[DDRanch]

2 of my hens also sleep in the nesting boxes, starting when they experienced a hard moult. I think they got cold. The only downsize is that I have to clean
them daily or the eggs get dirty.

 

[cami]

haha your rooster is a weirdo i love roos

 

[ZooMummzy]

Quote:
Lol my roosters try to hide in the nest boxes at night thinking I won't find them. They have to sleep in the garage at night since I live in town. They too throw a fit when I try to take them out. They are so silly.

Mostly my smaller breed chickens (Japs, Silkies and Cochins) are the ones who sleep in the nest boxes. They used to roost but now prefer to sleep in the boxes.

 

[watersoflethe]

hmm... the only birds that sleep in the nest boxes are my silkies cuz they can't roost but i've never had a problem with the eggs. even three birds will sit in one and still lay eggs in it.