Straw in the nest box

[bald egg]

How do I keep the straw in the nest box? I use deep litter and I hate straw mixed with the pine shavings. But, I keep filling the boxes with straw and they just keep shoveling it out. Stupid Chickens!!! I then decided to use pine shavings in the nest boxes. First the rough cut type then switched to the fine shavings. Egg production went down by 30%!! Then stared finding eggs on the floor and the poop deck!! Stupid Chickens!!! So, I reluctantly switched back to straw. Day one and all the straw is out of box #1, 50% is out of box #2 and all the eggs are in box #3, which has all the straw still in it. Stupid Chickens!! The straw is messy, compacts the pine shavings and I don't think it stays dry as well as the shavings. If I make the opening any smaller none on my girls will even fit in a nest box. Any Ideas??? Stupid Chickens!!!!

 

[wsdareme]

I started with hay and had the same problem as you. I switched to pine shavings and the girls have adjusted just fine.

After watching the fabulous video on this forum of a compacted crop surgery, and seeing the HUGE ball of hay or straw they took out of that hen's crop, I won't use hay or straw anymore. I think hens tend to pick at and eat the bedding in the nest boxes, and the hay and straw really plug them up.

Just my opinion.

 

[hennyannie]

I found that straw is hard to keep clean at my house, I use shavings. On the day after cleaning day they do seem to lay less eggs for some reason but they pick up the following day. I would use whatever works for me and they will ajust to it in time.

 

[gryeyes]

Pine shavings. Works perfectly fine for my flock. Of course, somebody still likes to lay eggs in a cardboard box with crumpled packing paper in it, on the back porch. But that's 3 of my layers, and it's not every day.

 

[Gypsy07]

Sigh... Mine did the same thing with their straw, day after day after day. I swapped to wood shavings and they adjusted fine. But when I free range them they run off to our straw shed and lay their eggs in amongst the straw bales in there. Once a week or so I have to go hunting with a torch and squeezing in amongst all the bales, and I usually find at least a dozen eggs in a big pile somewhere. Gah!!!

 

[blefky]

I use pine shavings in the bottom of the nest, covered by ample amounts of shredded brown paper (I keep a shredder in the kitchen just for this purpose). I mix a little DE in with the shavings for creepy crawly protection. I change out the shredded paper every week or two, depending on how wet the weather is, and the shavings about once a month. Maybe you could start with shavings on the bottom and straw on top and as they kick out the straw, just don't continue replacing it.

 

[bald egg]

I thought they were adjusting till I started finding eggs all over the coop. I didn't know they would eat straw and cause them harm. Yuck! I think I am just going to give in and keep the messy straw in the nest boxes. I really don't like it, but prefer collecting eggs from outside the coop. Beats the daily hind and go seek game. Thanks for your comments. BYC has the greatest following of people!