when should I get nesting boxes ready...

[SuburbanSue]

I have 7 girls, they just turned 14 weeks yesterday. I have read that they can start to lay anywhere between 4 and 6 months. My questions is when do I prepare the nesting boxes and have them available?? I have them blocked off right now and I know that you don't want them opened too early or they will get used to laying/sleeping in them, right? Any help woul be appreciated....I am a total newbie to this. Grandmas, Aunts, Uncles all had chickens on farms, mine are in a "chicken palace", as my husband call it, in the suburbs outside of NYC.

Thanks- Sue

2 Black Australorps, 2 Red Stars, 2 Buff Orpingtons and one adorable cross beaked Dominique

 

[Alethea]

It's not too early to set them up now to give the girls an opportunity to explore and get used to them. Ours are twelve weeks old and the box is available. They've checked it out and are mostly ignoring it at this point.

 

[BigKitty09]

My 3 chickens are 10 weeks old and my 1 mallard duck is 5 weeks old, I am building their coop right now and their nesting boxes are off to the side in their coop and flush with the floor though their is a piece of wood to keep the eggs (when they start laying) from rolling out. Is this ok or does it need to be elevated? Also should I block the nesting boxes off till they are a little bit older?

 

[Sassafras]

as long as they don't seem to be sleeping in them it should be ok to leave the nests open. Don't forget your fake egg/golf ball. I was really suprised when I found my first egg in the nest box the other day!