what about nest boxes?

[Hennyhandler]

I am planning on integrating and I have read everything on it but the only thing that I haven't heard about is about the nest boxes. The layers need the nest boxes open but the pullets need them closed so that they won't lay in them instead of on the roost. What do you do about this? My pullets are older but they haven't had a great opportunity to figure out the whole roost thing out. Any info would be good. I'm going to integrate them real soon.

 

[Judy]

Your pullets won't necessarily sleep in nest boxes just because they are there. They should prefer a roost. If the roost is comfortable to them, i.e., at least as wide as the wide side of a 2x4, and is higher than the nest boxes, they should choose the roost. If they go in the next box to sleep, take them out and put them on the roost at dusk until they get the idea.