When to put in the nesting boxes

[Ridgerunner]

I see many who say they should not sleep in the nesting boxes. My best friend, who raises chickens, said she’s never been able to prevent it in the winter. Why do we not want them sleeping in the boxes?

They poop a lot when they sleep. You don't want poopy eggs.

I don't know how your friend's coop is set up or the flock make-up. Mine do not sleep in the nests in winter and with my juvenile roost set up it's really rare in the summer when I have a lot of immature chickens afraid to sleep on the roosts with the adults.

Chickens sleeping in nests is pretty common, but when they do there is a reason for it. If you can figure out the reason you can fix it.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

You think those colorful plastic toy eggs from vending machines work?

 

[Melky]

You think those colorful plastic toy eggs from vending machines work?

Probably. If golf balls do, I don't see why not.

 

[Deannak63]

They poop a lot when they sleep. You don't want poopy eggs.

I don't know how your friend's coop is set up or the flock make-up. Mine do not sleep in the nests in winter and with my juvenile roost set up it's really rare in the summer when I have a lot of immature chickens afraid to sleep on the roosts with the adults.

Chickens sleeping in nests is pretty common, but when they do there is a reason for it. If you can figure out the reason you can fix it.

We’re in upper Minnesota with very cold winters. She’s guessing it’s due to cold—keeping warm.

 

[WVduckchick]

Got my first egg from my black copper marans last Friday at 25 weeks old. This was my first try with an "external" nest box. All my other pens have nest boxes attached to their coop, entry from inside the coop. I didn't use any fake eggs, she figured it out on her own.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I put in a nesting box but my hen decided that the floor is a better place to lay her clutch of eggs, even when I gather them to put into the nesting box she still refuses to use it. I think she does it out of spite.

 

[aart]

You think those colorful plastic toy eggs from vending machines work?

Probably. If golf balls do, I don't see why not.

Plastic eggs are too light weight, and hard to fill and keep them from coming open.

 

[Melky]

Plastic eggs are too light weight, and hard to fill and keep them from coming open.

You can fill with sand or dirt then glue shut with super glue or gorilla glue as long as glue on inside not outside of egg. Just a thought.

 

[aart]

You can fill with sand or dirt then glue shut with super glue or gorilla glue as long as glue on inside not outside of egg. Just a thought.

Yep, that might work.
I filled a bunch of plastic eggs with sand for an incubator turner test,
there were also little holes in both ends of egg that had to be blocked also.

 

[Melky]

Yep, that might work.
I filled a bunch of plastic eggs with sand for an incubator turner test,
there were also little holes in both ends of egg that had to be blocked also.

I wouldn’t use the ones with holes in the end probably more difficult to seal. Did your test work?