When to put in the nesting boxes

[PastaChickenBoo]

You should put them in around 18 weeks.

 

[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.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I use river rocks that's rounded, fake eggs, blown out eggs and adult hens to teach the young girls. Usually I am replacing older birds that are out of eggs to lay. The blown out eggs get filled with mustard to prevent egg eating habits. I co-mingle my flocks with see don't touch around 12 weeks. Just mark the fakes with an X or something to tell you it is. I incubated a ceramic egg for 10 days

 

[-BirdWhisperer-]

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 1 golf ball in each and I now have eggs next to them. I would say to try it before spending more money..but that's just me.

 

[Kat2141]

I have the TSC ceramic brown to be real as possible. I have brown layers. I marked them with tiny dot on the bottom. They come in brown and white.

I have those brown ones too... I put a small mark on them at first, then after a couple months I took my marker a drew a big wavy line all the way around them... so much easier to see. Haha. The first hen to lay seems to like having it in the nest and everybody else just uses the same nest, even though they have more available. Sometimes there are 2 or 3 girls in it at once.

 

[Kat2141]

We got our first eggs at 16 weeks... our nest boxes were built in when we remodeled the horse stall we use as a coop. At first they slept on the roof of the nest boxes, then I put in some roosts that worked better and they moved to them. Seems like I've done lots of remodeling as they grow. some things worked ok when they were smaller but some things change.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Herbs and plenty of wood shavings have always been my technique. My girls love their nests...when they actually lay eggs that is.

 

[Deannak63]

What type do you have that laid at 16-weeks?
Whaat

 

[Coop de Grass]

I have the TSC ceramic brown to be real as possible. I have brown layers. I marked them with tiny dot on the bottom. They come in brown and white.

My fake brown eggs have a zigzag stripe on them. I can see them easily if I have to reach under a hen. Making the marking small is not necessary.

I have used plastic colored Easter Eggs - the ones that you can put stuff in. You need to put something heavy inside that won't rattle around. You can use pennies wrapped in cloth as long as you seal the seam.

Ping pong balls are too light but golf balls work.

Keep an eye out for sleeping in the nest boxes. Once they start, it is hard to stop them.

Nice solution @aart !

 

[Kat2141]

What type do you have that laid at 16-weeks?
Whaat

They are red sex-links. Their eggs are huge, considering how (not) large the girls are.