sleeping in nesting boxes!?

[mrsdjl3rd]

They are not of laying age yet but all 15 of them pile into the nesting boxes to sleep. How do I get them to roost so they aren't sleeping and pooping where they lay?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Either hand-move them out of the box every night (should catch on after several nights of this) or just block the access to the boxes until they are of laying age.

 

[memphis]

Mine quit doing that once they started laying. I would just block it off for awhile.

 

[mrsdjl3rd]

Thank you. I wasn't sure what was going on. This is my first rodeo. I think I will just block off until they are older. They are 11-12 weeks right now.

 

[memphis]

Good plan!

 

[RonP]

Is your roost higher than your nesting boxes?

 

[mrsdjl3rd]

Yes there are two bars for roosting on one side and the other side has the nests walk in level

 

[RonP]

Then definitely close the boxes off till they learn to roost.

 

[jpfenimore]

I just read the article about cleaning and storing eggs and it prompted me to find this thread. I now realize I've let my girls develop some very bad habits! The four of them have been cramming themselves into one brood box at night and not sleeping on the roosts that we provided. Per the advice here and on other threads (thank you!, I'll adjust the roosts to be more appealing and close off the next boxes. But my concern is that I got them in February so they are almost ready to start laying. If I close off the next boxes now, when should I reopen them? In a few weeks? In the morning? After I find my first egg somewhere unintended? Any help / advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

If you would rather not close off the boxes completely you could leave them open during the day (most common laying hours) and close them off just before they usually start to settle in for the night and/or just physically move them out of the box and onto the roost each evening until they catch on and start going to the roost themselves.