Stuff to Put Inside Nesting Boxes? They Keep Pushing the Bedding Out :(

[debid]

BTW, I switched to roll-away boxes with plastic grass pads and it eliminated so many headaches. Any future coop I construct will be done this way. The pads can be shaken off to remove surface dirt or thrown in a bucket with hot water and disinfectant to soak if a deep clean is needed. Just rinse well and put in the sun to dry. They last for ages.

 

[Windy Wings]

We have silkies, some of whom like to sleep in the nest boxes.

In order to not have poopy eggs, we put horse bedding pellets in there. Then, when they poop in there, the pellets dry it out, and the eggs stay cleaner. They don't kick any of them out and do make a nest in them.

For maintenance, I just take a stick and stir the pellets once a week or so. We completely change them out every few months.

That's a great idea. My mom was complaining to me this morning about how all our eggs are dirty, and I told her it's not my fault, it's the chickens cause they keep kicking the bedding out.

 

[AustraHatch]

Personally i have a larger lip and use wood shavings, the hens make their nests in them and dont kick it out. If you cant get a lip have you tried nesting pads? Im looking at getting some of the high quality reusable ones at the moment for the chicken tractor im building.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I keep putting wood shavings inside the coop and nesting boxes, and they keep moving the wood shavings out of the nesting boxes so they are bare.

Could you please post a photo of the nest so we can see what if going on?

 

[SourRoses]

After more than a decade just using shavings or hay and thinking it sufficient (and cheap)...
I finally broke down one time with crazy POL pullets, and tried these nest pads.

They actually really helped. No more buried eggs or shavings kicked out.
I think they work best not fluffed up. I just put them in as flat as possible. The pullets can try to kick, but they're standing on the other side, so it doesn't go anywhere. Take that, girls!
Although pricey, they last a long time.

Alternatively, back when I had my horse and plentiful long strand hay on hand (Orchard was best)... I used to pre-spin a hollow nest bowl for the pullets. Upon finding it, they were pleased enough not to mess with it.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Same- my girls aren’t happy until they’re scratching at bare wood. I’ve used nesting pads that are synthetic grassy looking and they can’t scratch through it like they did with the natural fiber pads.

I have a girl that prefers the hard linoleum floor in a corner iver any one of 6 nest boxes. She’s extra special.

 

[Exopoulterer]

I third giving the nesting pads a try after having a nutty bird go wild in my milk crate nesting box.

I don't have the largest setup and only started with 4 pullets. I had one nesting crate in the coop and another on the ground in the run under the ramp. They chose the ground one and never laid an egg in the coop one.

The video below shows what was happening with golf balls and shavings before I went and bought a pack of pads. I removed the paver and keep one pad in the crate and one right in front of it just in case.