We can't break them from sleeping in their nest boxes

[ChlorophyllChick]

When we first moved our girls outside they would pile on top of each other in their nest boxes to sleep at night. We let them do this because we figured they were not used to being outside yet and were trying to keep warmer. When they got older we closed off their nest boxes and they started sleeping on their roosts. When they got close to laying we opened the nest boxes back up and they started sleeping in them again. Our hens have been laying for about a month now. After a week of dirty eggs and cleaning out their nest boxes everyday, we decided to try something different to discourage them from sleeping there. For the last 3 weeks we have diligently gone out just after they have gone to bed and moved them out of their nest boxes and onto their roosts. We read that after doing this for about a week, they should get the idea and start going there on their own. Once moved they seem perfectly happy and stay there all night, but they won't go onto them on their own. Their roosts are higher than their nest boxes so I don't know why they still prefer to sleep in the nest boxes. We don't want to close off the nest boxes in the evening because they usually all lay very early, before we go out in the morning. We are getting pretty frustrated with this so any new ideas would be great.

 

[FlockMama]

Just keep putting them back on the roost and they will eventually get it! I had one that took some time and would sleep in one particular nest box so in that nest box I took out the straw and she hasn't slept there since. I also had another that took a few weeks of putting her on the roost with the others. They'll eventually get it just keep up the good work.