When to get the nest boxes ready?

BBK

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I've covered the nest boxes so the chickies won't poop in them. and actaully it's a shelf, with a lip. My EE's are almost 16wks old.

So, my question is, do I start getting the nesting area ready?

Do I need a fake egg?

I'm sure that if i don't get it ready, they'll lay where-ever, correct?

But will I have a problem then, getting them to lay where I want them to?
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I can't wait to see what colors they'll lay.
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I have a theory, i think it has to do with the color of their legs, the slate legs ones will be blue eggs and the green legged one will be laying green eggs.
melinda
 
I am a newbie at this but have been keeping an eye on what other people have reported on BYC about their EE's. Seems like most of them start laying at 20 weeks. Have you noticed that their combs and wattles have gotten bigger a redder yet? When you see that change, it would probably be a good time to get their nesting area ready. I've also read about the chickens showing different behaviors like squatting more and maybe some different sounds as well. Not sure about that- I'm still waiting on my first egg myself. Mine are only 14 weeks. Seems like I have a long way to go!
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some chickens start laying around seventeen weeks but you will notice the combs getting bigger and redder and you should put a fake egg(golfball, etc) in each nest box and don't take it out even after they start laying because they might think a predator raided the nestt and they will look for a new spot.
 
Hi BBK:

When you need to have the nests ready depends a lot on the variety of chickens you have. My EE's have not started laying yet (they are going to be 20 weeks old tomorrow).

My Red Stars though began laying when they were 15 weeks old!

The important thing is to give the hens privacy and place the nests in a darker area of the coop. How many EE's do you have? If you have more than 5 or so, you would want to have some sort of divider between the nests.

I was going to build nests for my chickens, but decided on an easier route since I'm really not that handy with tools. I went to Walmart and bought a whole bunch of plastic storage type containers. They had some the right size, plus you can cut a hole in the lid for privacy (I just used mine without lids). So far they have worked well (I'm up to 10 eggs/day, but most of my hens have not started laying yet).

My hens (except for one red star) have not had any problems laying were they are supposed to. The one that did, laid a couple of eggs in a separate building. I just closed the doors for a few days so she couldn't and she has since then laid in the nest boxes.
 
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they shouldnt poop in them as long as your roost is higher than the nesting box....
 
Mine have not started laying yet ether they will be 18 week's Friday I have 2 EE 5 buff rocks 6 RIR They have been in the nest boxes golf ball in place I'll tell you what I was told TAKE A CHILL PILL maybe you will listen I did not Still check boxes every time I am out there I also have babys jumbo cornish and turkeys YES I HAVE GONE TO THE BIRDS Have fun I am




If you are corect on the leg to egg color mine should be green
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:welcome
 
DW, all of my roost are higher except for one, we made a 6" high roost when they were just lil chickies.... and we left it in there. Should we take it out?

I thought one was laying an egg while i was outdoors the other day, b/c she was making a lot of noise that I've never heard B4, it was blood curdleing clucks....i thought "here we go" but nothing, she was stuck up on a roost and was the only one left in the coop and was yelling at all of the other girls for not staying I guess! LOL

Bullwinkle, you don't think they will lay together on a shelf? That I need nest boxes.

One more question...will plastic eggs work, would i have to glue them together or something.? Or are they to fragile?



We have 6 EE's and 6 RIR's and now 5 lil silkies, that are not with the bigger girls, thinking of making a chick tractor for them.

thanks for thre great info

melinda
 
Lots of people use plastic eggs with success. You can also get wooden eggs from a craft store, we've had good luck with that & no worries about breaking.
 

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