When to open up nest boxes?

[Debutante]

In our coop we've closed up all the nest boxes to prevent them from getting pooped in and slept in, etc. until our girls are old enough to lay. Right now, they're only 13 weeks. My question is, when should we open up the nest boxes and prepare them with shavings and hay? Will the hens need some time to get used to the boxes before they actually "need" them? If so, how much time? Or should we just wait until the first eggs appear on the coop floor, then open the boxes? Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Pyxis]

When your pullets' combs start to redden and grow in more, that's a sign that they're coming into lay. At that point, you could open the nesting boxes and put some fake eggs in there. They probably won't try to sleep in them as long as they're used to sleeping on the roost and the roost is higher than the nesting boxes.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would give them 2 weeks. If they are then sleeping on the perches well, you could then open the boxes, but be prepared to close them back up at night if the youngsters try to sleep in them. I have to close my boxes at night, even if I have adult birds, b/c occasionally, one will have a persecution complex, and take to the nest box. Poopy nests are no fun. My boxes have a hinged perch in front of them that can be folded up to block the entrances. My community box/broody pen has a door that can be closed. I close them around 6 PM, and open them up in the am.

 

[Debutante]

When your pullets' combs start to redden and grow in more, that's a sign that they're coming into lay. At that point, you could open the nesting boxes and put some fake eggs in there. They probably won't try to sleep in them as long as they're used to sleeping on the roost and the roost is higher than the nesting boxes.

Thanks very much Pyxis. I will definitely keep an eye open for the signs you mention. I saw some nice ceramic fake eggs on Amazon. I guess I should order a few. The girls have been sleeping up on the roosts for several weeks now and seem pretty content with that. The nest boxes are only 1 foot off the ground so I'm hoping they'll realize that they're just for laying... not sleeping (or worse yet, pooping)! Thanks again!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I opened mine up when the first pullet began squatting (not all of them will do that, but all of mine did prior to laying). Took them a couple of days to finally investigate inside and see the fake eggs (golf balls) I left in there, which they promptly threw out. I just kept putting the golf balls back and about 9 days later, we had our first egg! Once they started laying they stopped evicting the golf balls (and now they're very attached to the golf balls and get upset if they're removed).

Haven't had a chicken poop in the box or sleep in there (except when broody) and other than a couple of soft shelled eggs laid from the roost at the start, all of my eggs have been properly laid in the box, so I guess my hens approve of the setup!

 

[Debutante]

I would give them 2 weeks. If they are then sleeping on the perches well, you could then open the boxes, but be prepared to close them back up at night if the youngsters try to sleep in them. I have to close my boxes at night, even if I have adult birds, b/c occasionally, one will have a persecution complex, and take to the nest box. Poopy nests are no fun. My boxes have a hinged perch in front of them that can be folded up to block the entrances. My community box/broody pen has a door that can be closed. I close them around 6 PM, and open them up in the am.

Thanks Lazy Gardener! Interesting that you still have to close your nest boxes occasionally, even with adult birds. Closing mine up at night will be a problem because there's no way to hinge them and the covers are nailed on because we thought they'd just be temporary. :-( Maybe I can rig up some velcro-ed shut nest box curtains (although I'm skeptical of nest box curtains with a bunch of poop-monsters in close proximity). LOL Thanks again for the insights.

 

[Debutante]

I opened mine up when the first pullet began squatting (not all of them will do that, but all of mine did prior to laying). Took them a couple of days to finally investigate inside and see the fake eggs (golf balls) I left in there, which they promptly threw out. I just kept putting the golf balls back and about 9 days later, we had our first egg! Once they started laying they stopped evicting the golf balls (and now they're very attached to the golf balls and get upset if they're removed).

Haven't had a chicken poop in the box or sleep in there (except when broody) and other than a couple of soft shelled eggs laid from the roost at the start, all of my eggs have been properly laid in the box, so I guess my hens approve of the setup!

Thanks RosemaryThyme, I really like the idea of using golf balls to give them a clue on what to do with the nest boxes.... MUCH cheaper than the fake eggs from Amazon.ca! Glad to hear your hens caught on quickly without the dreaded poopy nest box ordeal. Sure hope mine will too! Thanks again!

 

[Ronnie2]

Thanks very much Pyxis. I will definitely keep an eye open for the signs you mention. I saw some nice ceramic fake eggs on Amazon. I guess I should order a few. The girls have been sleeping up on the roosts for several weeks now and seem pretty content with that. The nest boxes are only 1 foot off the ground so I'm hoping they'll realize that they're just for laying... not sleeping (or worse yet, pooping)! Thanks again!

I would look for glass eggs. I tried the ceramic eggs, and mine were worthless. Most of them broke, and my son said that the chicken snakes would go rite past them to go to the glass eggs. The snakes wrap their bodies around tree limbs to break the eggs for consumption. Glass eggs are very hard if nearly impossible for large snakes to break. The glass eggs are a little pricey, but will last.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I used the kids old plastic Easter Eggs Filled them with some gravel but thinking about it now sand would have been easier, and glued them shut. Works great!

 

[Debutante]

I would look for glass eggs. I tried the ceramic eggs, and mine were worthless. Most of them broke, and my son said that the chicken snakes would go rite past them to go to the glass eggs. The snakes wrap their bodies around tree limbs to break the eggs for consumption. Glass eggs are very hard if nearly impossible for large snakes to break. The glass eggs are a little pricey, but will last.

WOW! That's interesting. Fortunately, I'm from Canada so I don't need to worry about snakes of any kind in the henhouses! I can cope with bears and cats and most anything else but honestly, I would just DIE if I ever found a big snake in a nest box!!! That'd be the end of me and my chickens! LOL