too early for next boxes??

[sixinva]

OK, so i did do a search and didnt see this addressed.....I built a nice coop, i know, pictures, pictures....I'll get some posted. I built nest boxes in, but the chickens wont be laying for a while yet....like another couple months...So do i block off hte boxes? Let them sleep in them? (bad habits?) Or what? I could easily block them off with a board or something....thanks.

 

[GermanChick]

I am in the same boat. We are about to finish our coop, just painted nest boxes yesterday, and I was wondering the same. I think we might block the boxes until the girls are three months. Like you said, I am afraid they will sleep in them and it will be a bad habit to break......
But I am eager to hear what the more experienced people will say

 

[rebecky1305]

I'm not sure but I think I read on here somewhere that you should block off the nest boxes until they need them. That's what I think I'm going to do.

 

[kenturb]

I too have the same question! I've been lurking on this site for months now! Just finished the coop and put the girls in last week. They slept on their roost bar (the lower of the two!) for the first few nights, now the past two nights I have caught them in the nest boxes. Do I need to block them off for a while? All 6 of our girls are right about 2.5 months old...and all 6 stuffed themselves into one of the 3 nesting boxes! Any thoughts on stopping this behavior before it becomes habit?

 

[kenturb]

By the way all...just found this group of posts and it helps answer our questions I think!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=99560

Check it out...I think I am going to try blocking mine off at night for a while and see if they get the hint! Using something simple like a pizza box lid or other piece of cardboard should work well for a temporary closure of the nesting boxes!

 

[sixinva]

Im thinking something more than cardboard, which they might peck at....maybe luan or hardboard or something...those are good posts, I saw them, but i think those are more of a nightly kind of thing.....im thinking i need another 12 weeks of 'hiding' the nest boxes..

 

[my3jsons]

We blocked ours off with extra plywood. I'm not sure when to take them off though.

 

[Prospector]

Well, we did this a little different.

Our coop is *mostly* done. we have the doors on but not the windows, and we have the openings to the next boxes cut open, but still have to add the nest boxes to the outside of the coop.

We also don't have the run set up yet, but th egirls outgrew our brooder about a week ago and really needed to get outside.

So with the coop *mostly* done and *mostly* in position, I installed 1X1 wire mesh over the window and nest box openings, lined the floor of the coop with grass cuttings and moved the girls out. Through this week I'll install the windows and nest boxes, and get started on the run this weekend.

Without nest boxes to move into, the girls are mostly spending their time scratching in the grass, and huddles in a corner of the coop. So far I have caught one of them making use of the roost. I am hoping that this arrangement will give them time to figure out places to sleep that don't include the nest boxes, and that by the time I get the boxes in place, they will be used for their true purpose.

Edit to add - if we do find that the girls are using th enest boxes, I will simply put a rubbermaid in each one to fill it. Goodness knows we have enough storage containers around that we could move a few out there for a week or two and never know the difference.

 

[buzymom13]

just in case no one welcomed you yet. I feel funny answering questions yet but I did get some really good advice on here so I'll share. Just so everyone knows I'm relatively new to chickens myself and am just passing info along that I already gathered.


I had placed my nest boxes and the chicks were using them to sleep in and make messes. Sooooo I asked and was told to take the boxes out (or cover them up) until laying age came. Evidently this will make them get the plan better. So that's what I did. So far they are getting the plan and are roosting and sleeping on the roost and in the corner together. We have a silky roo and learned that silkies don't roost...so some of the girls have taken to sleeping in the corner with the roo.

Hope this helps ya a bit...

 

[chickydoodle]

ooooh. Have been wondering this as well!! Thanks!
I can always fnd what I need to know here!
You all ROCK!