when to put up laying boxes

[jonas]

I have 5 - 2 month old hens. I have some boxes ready to put up in the coop but have been told not to do it to early for a variety of reasons. I dont want to confuse the poor dears by being tardy with my boxes, but I dont need to give them another place to poop at night either. thanks for any advice.

 

[Opa]

I'd wait until they are about 20 weeks old. If you check your birds real early in the morning, I might be a good idea to block access to the nest at night. You don't want them to get in the habit of roosting in them but you want them available very early in the morning.

 

[cap1717]

OK, a related question:

I have had nest boxes (baskets, actually) available in the coop from day 1. "The girls" are all between 8 and 12 weeks old at this point, and not showing any signs of being ready to start laying. The perch in their secure "outdoor" pen, away from the "coop", and only ocassionally stray into the nest boxes. One of them will "hide" there, if she is being picked on by my dominant hen, but that situation is resolving pretty well. Should I remove the nesting baskets for another month? Thanks.

 

[Opa]

If they haven't night roosted in them I would just leave them where they are.