Why are my Buffs pooping in and on their nest boxes??

[RevJen]

Bought 17 week old Buffs and they started laying almost immediately. That was 3 weeks ago. I've seen them up on the roosts but apparently at night they are roosting on the flat board in front of the boxes as well as in the boxes. I am clearing out and scraping poop every morning! This is our first attempt at raising chickens -- any suggestions?

Thanks,
RevJen

 

[nurseshelly]

Quote:
Hi,
If you go to the coop right after dark, you can move them out of the nest box to where you want them to sleep. Eventually they will figure it out and not roost in the nest box anymore. It takes a while. I've been moving mine about a month and all but one are staying out of the box now.

 

[BirdBrain]

You might try raising your roosts. If the roosts are at a similar height to the nests, then the nest boxes start looking better for roosting. The higher the better. You might also try hanging a curtain up in front of your nest boxes. If they were raised without roosts, it will take them a while to get into the swing of roosting on the roosts. Are your roosts atleast 4 inches wide (2x4 layed with the flat side up)? They may prefer a wider flat surface for roosting.

 

[SarahBeth9394]

My ladies are 15 weeks old. They've been in the coop and run for 10 weeks and they still sleep cuddled up in the nest box. I made two 16 x 26 community nest boxes. The ladies tend to go up to the top one and snuggle up in it. Yes all 9 were in just one the other night when my hubby went to check on them. lolol. No it's not cold we're in Texas. I'm cleaning out the nest boxes a few times a week because they are pooping in them. So I'm thinking... Should I block the nest boxes for a couple of days so they will get on the roosts? And also my roosts are made out of large closet poles that you put the hangers on. Did I blow it with that?

 

[BirdBrain]

Your girls are likely not laying yet. Block the nest boxes and then change out your roost poles. Chickens like to sit on their roosts more than cling to them.

 

[cmom]

My birds were sleeping in the nest boxes. I put milk crates in the nest boxes in the evenings and took them out in the mornings for a week. It worked. I did it with my hens and with my pullets. Also I put a golf ball in each nest box. I also made sure the roosts are higher than the nest boxes. The birds tend to go to the highest spot to roost. My original roosts were at the same height as the nest boxes. I have raised it to just above the boxes. It's no fun when they get used to sleeping in the nest boxes and then you reach in and get poopy eggs. This happened to me in the beginning. I thought it was cute. I finally got tired of cleaning the poopy eggs and the poop out of the nest boxes...