sleeping in the nest box?

[ki4got]

I have 8 young bantam hens and 4 roos, about 4 months old or so. I peeked in the coop a few nights ago, and all 12 of them are sleeping in a 24x12 nest box... they free range during the day but always go back to 'bed' at sundown. I'm in the process of building a bigger 'house' for them but fear it wont be done before they start laying. the current 'house' really isn't big enough anyways, it's a converted doghouse (thought it would be plenty big enough when they were new LOL)

the doghouse currently has 2 perches at the same level as the edge of the nest. I'm wondering if I should make another nest at the floor level in case they want to lay? I can't see them laying and sleeping at the same place LOL

the new house won't be done for maybe a week, as i still need to paint and side it.

anyways, looking for thoughts/suggestions. am i worrying about egg laying too soon?

btw the hens are 3 dark brahma, 1 buff brahma, 1 red cochin, 1 oegb, 1quail d'anver,s and 1 ?? (very dark red, green black tail, clean feet single comb but her tail is more curly like the brahma/cochin's)
the roos are black japanese, sultan, porcelain d'uccle, oegb. The OEGB's the hen i'm pretty sure is a silver duckwing, the roo is crele *i think*. he's grey/white speckled with a rusty wash over the saddle area and a little on the neck. just found some pics and i think he'll mature like that. (glad i didn't cull him)

 

[gaillardia]

My young girls kept sleeping in the nest box, which then gets poo on the eggs. At night, I went in and moved them to the roost. It took about 3 or 4 nights of doing this to get them to roost. Give it a try.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
I would but right now their coop is one of those jumbo doghouses, and to get inside i have to take the whole top off... easy enough to do when nobody's home but at night with them all in there... that's why i'm building a new one. well that and because they got bigger than my imagination said they would when i decided the doghouse would work. oh, and that i ended up with better than 50% hens too LOL 4 roos 8 hens.