What to do ... Chicken sleeping in nesting box

[lissalischicks]

So my Barred Rock has been going into the nesting box around 5pm and then staying there to sleep. She is going through a pretty good molt as well. The weather here has dropped dramatically the last few days and tonight it will be going into the low 30s. I think she is trying to sleep in the box because it's warmer in there. Should I let her sleep in the box? I have been moving her back into the coop on a roosting bar at night that last few days. If I let her sleep in the box I am concerned it will become habit and/or what about the poop she usually poops when she sleeping. Will it be in the box as well??

 

[ChickNanny13]

I would move her onto the roost and/or block the nest box around 4pm, opening first thing in the morning. Hopefully your girls are not early risers She's probably finding the nest box cozy & warm, hope there's no draft in the coop to chill her. Yes, allowing her to sleep in the nest box, you'll probably get "night" poop in it.

I have a poop board (with PDZ) under my girls night/sleep roost, 98% of their poop ends up in it which I scoop out in the morning. They don't have the pleasure of free ranging & their enclosure is deep litter with minimum poop, I ferment their feed.

Waiting to see what others have to say...

 

[dunnmom]

Blocking nest boxes worked for my hens, although sometimes they'd opt to sleep on the coop floor instead of getting back on the roost. Just something to watch for if you try it.

 

[lissalischicks]

I thought of blocking the nest boxes. I guess I was concerned and wondering if she was doing it because it was warmer in there because of all her feather loss from molting.

 

[pasuit]

So my Barred Rock has been going into the nesting box around 5pm and then staying there to sleep. She is going through a pretty good molt as well. The weather here has dropped dramatically the last few days and tonight it will be going into the low 30s. I think she is trying to sleep in the box because it's warmer in there. Should I let her sleep in the box? I have been moving her back into the coop on a roosting bar at night that last few days. If I let her sleep in the box I am concerned it will become habit and/or what about the poop she usually poops when she sleeping. Will it be in the box as well??

 

[pasuit]

I've got a hen trying to sleep in a next. I move her to the roost. This has been going on all week.

 

[dunnmom]

I thought of blocking the nest boxes. I guess I was concerned and wondering if she was doing it because it was warmer in there because of all her feather loss from molting.

Could be. A few of mine try to sleep in the nest boxes if they are molting, ill/injured, or broody. I sometimes think they do it to avoid being picked on.

 

[LoveChooks9000]

When you say "roosting bar", is the roost made of metal or wood? If it's made of metal, I'd suggest providing wooden perches instead/as well. If given a choice, they will perch on wooden perches, esp. in winter. Chooks (and other birds) can lose toes through having to sit on metal perches in the cold. Even when they don't lose toes, metal perches are not comfortable for them.
Even if the perch is actually wooden, I'm guessing she is cold. If you want to block the nest box so she can't get in there, can you provide somewhere warmer for her to sleep than where she normally sleeps? I would be doing that. Leaving her to sleep cold is not a great option for her, and she is helpless to improve her own situation. Best of luck, whatever you decide.

 

[aart]

So my Barred Rock has been going into the nesting box around 5pm and then staying there to sleep. She is going through a pretty good molt as well. The weather here has dropped dramatically the last few days and tonight it will be going into the low 30s. I think she is trying to sleep in the box because it's warmer in there. Should I let her sleep in the box? I have been moving her back into the coop on a roosting bar at night that last few days. If I let her sleep in the box I am concerned it will become habit and/or what about the poop she usually poops when she sleeping. Will it be in the box as well??

She is probably avoiding the RoostTimeRumble as her new feathers are 'uncomfortable'.
Molting birds often isolate, especially at roost time.
If you don't have 'extra' room on roost, or a separate roost,
you can just keep putting her on roost after dark and/or block nests.
She should get over her sensitivity within a week or so.
Yes, nest sleeping can become a bad habit,
because of the night poops it's best to discourage it.

 

[chickens really]

Yes, she is cold.
I'm in Alberta, Canada. For some reason people think Chickens do not get cold and it could not be further from the truth. They do get cold. Let her sleep where she wants.