When to put in the nesting boxes

[Deannak63]

“Instead of names, because they can't read “
Bwaa haaa haaa.

 

[GC-Raptor]

The ceramic can be so lifelike it helps to mark them just so you know.

I bought the white ceramic eggs. No fakes in my pail. . No Flighty birds in my Flock. GC

 

[GC-Raptor]

I have brown layers.

Me too, that's why I bought white. No mistakes here. . GC

 

[GC-Raptor]

I installed my removable nest boxes when I saw a pullet acting nervous and trying to make a nest on coop floor. The next day she was sitting on floor of coop. I picked her up and put her into nest and 35 minutes later she came out and a beautiful egg was in the nest.
This happened at 16 1/2 weeks with a Golden Comet.
If you have early laying breeds/type, I would open/install around 15 weeks.

I had a older hen earlier this year that decided to start sleeping and pooping in the nest was a good thing.
I came up with wedging a bottle into each nest an hour before sunset, when I let them out to free range. .
I did that for a week and she stopped sleeping in nests for months now. GC

 

[Ladybluearm]

My RIReds are finally laying! My husband built the nest boxes, at first they didn’t seem to like them but use them now.

 

[BugMunch]

Yes they are roosting on a temporary roost (long story-construction delays). I’ll put in the permanent roosts this weekend. I’ve read that golf balls work for fair eggs. True?

I put some of my dads old golf balls in my big girls nests and it worked

 

[ChickNanny13]

I just opened up their nest box, 4BO @ 20wks ... I'm not expecting eggs until around the mid - late Oct. One's got red comb/wattles, not squatting, 2 are getting catching up while 1 is still more pink than red. I've never used fake eggs until I raised 5 Blue Wyandottes for a friend, used colorful plastic Easter Eggs filled with concrete, worked.

 

[Melky]

Our coop will be complete this weekend and though the nesting boxes are ready to go in, should we wait as the girls are only 14-weeks old or put them in as well? Well, the boxes just need the names added to them

You will find that your breed determines laying age. Some will lay at 16-20 weeks, others up to 24 weeks etc. It might be important to go by the breed. People have put the false eggs out 1 week ahead of breed earliest laying age, some at exact age, and others after first egg. I don't think there is a wrong answer here. I plan to put mine out in the week before earliest breed age of my current pullets. I have three different breeds that will start at different ages. Hens will not typically lay until reach breed weight and mature physical characteristics additionally. Below are a couple fun articles on nesting boxes. Don't forget to spruce them up. I put dried organic scented herbs in nest boxes and clean with lavender essential oil in my cleaning fluid to help scent boxes.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ed-to-know-about-these-coop-essentials.72484/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/nest-box-aromatherapy.66801/

 

[aart]

Don't forget to spruce them up. I put dried organic scented herbs in nest boxes and clean with lavender essential oil in my cleaning fluid to help scent boxes

Be careful with cleaning fluids and essential oils....birds have very sensitive respiratory systems.
There's really no reason to use any cleaning fluids in a nest,
and essential oils might be attractive to humans but not so much to birds.

 

[Fluffy&Cutie]

Golf balls work just fine for fake eggs.

Instead of names, because they can't read ,
add an easily operable cover,
because it's highly likely that they will try to sleep in them.

This is what I rigged,
easy to close an hour before roost time,
then open back up after dark when you lock up.

i love this...,because my girls REALLY love to try and sleep in their nests. i have to close the nests each night and open them first thing in the am. the roost is higher...but only by a few inches (pre fab coop) i won't make that mistake in the new coop! i like your closed method.