sleeping invthe nest boxes.

[sbhkma]

My chickens have been laying for a couple of years now and last night I went to collect eggs and my RI Red was sleeping in nesting box for the first time-usually they sleep outside on the roost, lately they have been going inside to the other roost. Should I stop her from sleeping in nest?

Is she going broody? Does she come out during the day or is she in there all the time? I had a hen decide the nest box was a great place to sleep, so I blocked it off at night and opened it during the day. After 5 days I left it open and she'd gotten used to being back on the roost with the other gals. Had another hen go broody on me and didn't want to leave her nest box for anything! Used a broody buster and it worked great.
I just realized something.. 5 days seems the magic time for my girls. If they're laying outside somewhere, 5 days kept in the coop & run fixes it. 5 days blocking the nest box fixes them from sleeping in it. 5 days in the broody buster broke all 4 of my broody hens (thankfully they at least did it one at a time!)

 

[bobshere]

I had the same problem. I finally decided to try putting another roost higher. The first night I had one hen use it. The second night I went in there just as it was almost dark. Put them all up on there....now I have no problems...I don't think they liked the lower roost at the nest level. I don't think they feel too safe lower to the ground.