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When should I "open up" my nesting boxes?

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by navychick, Oct 7, 2011.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Oct 7, 2011 #1
    navychick

    navychick Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Our girls are 13 weeks old and knock on wood healthy happy chickies, thanks to all of the sage advice I have received on these boards.
    After we finished our new coop we blocked off the nesting boxes so they would use the roosts and not sleep in their nests. All 12 girls perch/sleep on the highest perch each night with no problems. My question is when should I open up the nesting boxes and let them get aquainted with them?
     
  3. Oct 7, 2011 #2
    Chickiemom25

    Chickiemom25 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Mine have always had access but never used them until they started laying.....

    at 20 weeks they Finally moved into the coop from sleep in the floor of the run but no one uses the indoor roosts.. I think I need to enlarge them.
     
  5. Oct 7, 2011 #3
    bikerchic

    bikerchic Chillin' With My Peeps

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    I opened mine at 16 weeks. After they had established their sleeping arrangements. They got in them around 18 weeks and started being "curious", but never slept in them.
     
  7. Oct 7, 2011 #4
    Happy Chooks

    Happy Chooks Moderator Staff Member

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    My Coop
    Anytime, if they are well established now at roosting. I'd definitely open them by 16 weeks in case you get an early layer.
     
  9. Oct 7, 2011 #5
    navychick

    navychick Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Thanks for the responses. As to today is so beautiful (80's ) with sunny blue skies I decided to go out and clean the coop. I put straw in their boxes in preparation for the day we open them up. Just a side note, I find it amazing their coop has NO nasty odor, none. I use pine chips and have just been sprinkling new chips atop of the old. I scrape their poo off their perches but that is it. Hopefully it stays so simple.
     

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