sleeping in the box

[denco5]

I have 4, ten to twelve week old chicks that are determined to sleep in the nest box. They are in with 12 other 11 month old hens, one being their mother. All the others are on the roost. Will they eventually go to the roost or will they continue to squeeze in the nest box like sardines until I make a change of some kind?

Thanks

 

[Terri O]

I have some that do that. Make sure that you have enough roost space for them all to fit. I know I am short on that so that's probably why they sit in the box. If you have enough maybe they just feel safer in the box? One other thing is to make sure that you dont have any rodents in the coop that might be running on the roosts disturbing them.

 

[Eggcessive]

You might try blocking off the nest boxes until they are closer to laying age--say between 16-18 weeks, and forcing them to roost where they are supposed to. Also make sure the roost is higher than your nest boxes.

 

[denco5]

I can't block the nest boxes, I have 12 other hens using them. I hope they just go up on the roost soon. No rodents either. All the others are content on the roost.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I also have hens using the boxes and my one pullet who has been laying for a couple months decided to sleep in the box at night. Needless to say I would find poop in the box everyone else was laying in. I kept removing the poo and putting new hay just to do it all over again. I finally took all the hay out and she quit sleeping in it. The hens found other boxes to use. I'll wait a week or so and put hay back in to see if in broke her habit.