My standards are 2 months old and my banty is 3. They are all living comfortably in their coop, even putting themselves to bed nightly and roosting high up. Given that they seem used to their digs but won't be laying for a while, when should I give them access to the nesting boxes in the coop? We blocked off the nesting boxes to get them to roost - which they're doing - and to prevent them from sleeping in the boxes.
My 5 black australorps and 3 EE's have always had access to the boxes but there was nothing in them. they never messed with them. when my one black started doing "the squat", I put bedding in 2 of the boxes. about 2 weeks later, day before yesterday, she gave us our first egg. all of them are now 18 weeks and 1 day old. the only thing they do is lay in the boxes, no playing or sleeping. I'm looking forward to this afternoon between 1 and 4 pm- that's when i'm expecting our third egg!!! rich