When to open nest boxes?

[RevlisRemmah]

Okay okay, I KNOW for a fact I am jumping the gun here but I’m SO EXCITED FOR MY FIRST EGGS.

My girls have been in their coop for about 7 weeks. They are 14 weeks old now. The nesting boxes have been blocked off since day 1 so they all have a favorite place to roost at night. However, the coop floor is sand and during the day they will come in from the run and snuggle down in the sand to sleep.

Is it way too early to open up the nest boxes? I’m so anxious to get them ready so the girls can explore them but I don’t want them to become the new nap spot. The boxes are about a foot off the ground and have a perch in front to land on for access, no one usually sleeps or roosts on that perch since I have higher roosting spots available.

PLEASE TELL ME I CAN OPEN THEM SOONISH!!

 

[Sally PB]

I'm pretty sure 14 weeks is too soon to be looking for eggs. Different breeds start at different times. My Black Australorps started at 19 and 20 weeks.

I opened up the nesting boxes when my girls were 16 weeks old. They were very happily roosting up on the roost bar, so I felt confident they wouldn't be sleeping in a nesting box.

Look at some pictures of birds the same breed as yours at various ages. People said that the combs and wattles will get bigger and redder. That was so true for my birds. They were kind of red, then they got bigger and the wattles got floppier. Then they got red, truly red-red. Then I knew it wouldn't be long.

Except it was about another week or two. Eternity when you are waiting for eggs.

Good luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd open them up now, so they can start exploring the boxes if the urge hits them.

As I have a mixed age flock my nests have always stayed open and none of the chicks have tried sleeping in them, so I wouldn't stress too much about them suddenly switching to sleeping in the nests unless they've had issue roosting reliably.

 

[DanEP]

Any time between now and shortly before POL will be fine. Sally PB is right combs and wattles will get much redder when their getting ready to lay. Just remember that you can have one girl laying and the others can take a few weeks before their all laying, this is normal. You don't say what breeds you have so your wait could be a little over a month or you may have to wait 10 more weeks. Also pullets that come into lay in the fall tend to take a little longer than early spring chicks. I'm just guessing but I think maybe the shortening day length may have something to do with it.

 

[Erikdaviking]

I never closed off my nesting boxes at all, the chickens would sometimes go in there but they sleep on the roost. At least, that's always where they are when I look at them at night! They have just started laying in the last few weeks, I have one that insists on laying on the coop floor, but the others use the nest boxes. I'm sure you can open them up, in my opinion they don't need to be closed in the first place.

 

[RevlisRemmah]

Any time between now and shortly before POL will be fine. Sally PB is right combs and wattles will get much redder when their getting ready to lay. Just remember that you can have one girl laying and the others can take a few weeks before their all laying, this is normal. You don't say what breeds you have so your wait could be a little over a month or you may have to wait 10 more weeks. Also pullets that come into lay in the fall tend to take a little longer than early spring chicks. I'm just guessing but I think maybe the shortening day length may have something to do with it.

I know I have quite a wait ahead for eggs. I think it makes me more impatient knowing I’ll have to wait, possibly even until spring! I have EEs, Olive Eggers, Black Sex Links, Welsummers and Light Brahmas (who I know take ages to fully mature).

 

[RevlisRemmah]

I'm pretty sure 14 weeks is too soon to be looking for eggs. Different breeds start at different times. My Black Australorps started at 19 and 20 weeks.

I opened up the nesting boxes when my girls were 16 weeks old. They were very happily roosting up on the roost bar, so I felt confident they wouldn't be sleeping in a nesting box.

Look at some pictures of birds the same breed as yours at various ages. People said that the combs and wattles will get bigger and redder. That was so true for my birds. They were kind of red, then they got bigger and the wattles got floppier. Then they got red, truly red-red. Then I knew it wouldn't be long.

Except it was about another week or two. Eternity when you are waiting for eggs.

Good luck!

Thanks for replying! I’m sure I have at least a month to go if not longer. these chickens sure do keep me waiting! First to see how they will look as they feather out, now to see who is going to lay and what the eggs will look like. Endless anticipation!