When to add nesting materials to boxes?

[MyShunshyn]

Our girls are only 11 weeks old but i am wondering when i should add nesting materials to the nesting boxes?
They are not showing any interest in the boxes that i have noticed but they are allowed to free range during the day when I am home and i worry that they might just start finding suitable places in my flowerbeds if they don't see that there are nice places in e coop.

Should i go ahead and add straw ro the nest boxes? I am sure I will have to clean it out a few times before they actually start laying but I want to show them that they have a nice cozy, safe place to lay INSIDE not out in the yard somewhere on our 4 acres!

I have read that it isn't good to give them the nesting boxes before they are laying so they wont just sleep in them but I dont know.

Any Ideas?

 

[swmalone]

Mine slept in the nest boxes and now as they are getting closer to laying I am having to break them of the habit, so I am sealing off the nest box in the evenings.

 

[MyShunshyn]

I dont think that is a problem for me....everynight they are all up on the roosts or a few are still huddled in the corner of the coop...silly girls