Why are my hens scratching all the pine shavings out of their nest boxes?

[shadowfox]

I have 7 hens that are 18 weeks old. I got their nest boxes (2 of them side by side) set up earlier this week. At first I had shredded paper in them. But then they scratched it all out and stared trying to eat it. Raked it all out yesterday and today put in pine shavings. I also dropped a couple of golf balls in so they know where to lay (hopefully sooner rather than later!) They left the pine shavings alone for most of the day, but by the time I put them to bed they had scratched them all out! Why!? I don't want to keep adding shavings after shavings to the nest boxes and waste them! But I don't want them to try and lay eggs on a hard surface, sounds like a mess waiting to happen.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Have you considered making the rim in front of your boxes higher so that they can't rake out the shavings so easily?

 

[TattooedChicks]

It’s new and they are curious, my birds love to wreck any new addition until the newness wears off. New layers can also wreck a nest box as they settle and figure out what’s going on.

 

[i like emus]

they love to dig find worms bugs anything so if you don't let them dig mabey get a small box with dirt in it so they can dig that's from my personal experance hope i help

 

[Percheron chick]

Because they can.

 

[i like emus]

percheron chick lol

 

[shadowfox]

@sylviethecochin How high can I make the front of it before the opening is too small for them? Top to bottom is about 12" high with a 2" front, leaving 10".

 

[sylviethecochin]

@sylviethecochin How high can I make the front of it before the opening is too small for them? Top to bottom is about 12" high with a 2" front, leaving 10".

Nevermind then. 2" should be plenty. Sounds like they're just being pains. Sorry--sounds like the solution is to do what Tattoedchicks said and let them adjust to their new toy.

 

[shadowfox]

@i like emus , they have a bare dirt floor, so they can dig plenty! I'm leaning towards Tattooedchicks and Percheron's assessments! Darn chickens!

 

[Katie’s Coop]

I have a concern about them eating shredded paper. My coop bedding is Koop clean cut hay/straw with sweet PDZ and I recently emptied my paper shredder into the nest boxes for an added layer. To my horror a few of the hens decided it was a new snack and ate some, but didn’t keep at it. Should I remove the paper shreds? Will eating paper harm them? I worry about the ink. Any advice/experience?