Hi coopmom. I grew up in Dumas.
As for sleeping in the nesting boxes, mine have been doing the same thing. They were born around may 1. I was hoping this was something that they would outgrow, but I'm doubting that now after reading many of the threads about this issue on the forum. I took the advice from countless threads and blocked the nesting boxes. The first night (night before last) they were very confused and flustered. I had to take each one and put them up on the roosting bar. I was prepared to have to do this for a couple of weeks, but they did it on their own last night. I will keep the boxes blocked for a few more weeks to completely break them of going in there to sleep, but I'm hopeful that one night of retraining did the trick
Hahaha, I spent my wedding night at the Kona Kai Inn in Dumas, en route from Borger to Colorado Springs. A looooooong time ago - 38 years this week. We live between Amarillo and Canyon now.
Thanks for the advice. In true Newbie fashion, I worried too soon. They were all on the roost tonight when I went to put them up, but I put some 2 gallon buckets for nests in the nesting spaces today, so they couldn't sleep on top of those. All is well. Now if they will just figure out where to lay!
@Orumpoultry, thanks for the encouragement
@RoosterCogburn, that's a great commercial.