Will I disturb my girls?

[newchicks]

How disruptive is it to the hens to have their bedding changed in their laying boxes? Will it make them stop laying for a time, or do they like the fresh clean hay? I only have 2 girls, so it doesn't seem dirty yet. If they poo in it I just pick it out.

 

[debilorrah]

Ya know, I think it is particular to the bird. We change ours like clockwork on Saturdays and they are fine with it. I have heard of some that get po'd though.

 

[redoak]

I've changed my hens nest box bedding several times, they don't seem to notice. I've also add bedding every few weeks after it gets crushed down or kicked out and they don't seem to care either.

 

[gritsar]

I clean my nest boxes at least once a week. Doesn't bother them.
A week or two ago my SO was in the coop building them an additional roost, sawing and drilling, and the girls walked past him and climbed into their nest boxes like always. One got mad cuz he had left his cordless drill leaned up against her favorite nest box. She literally pushed it out of her way.

 

[cmom]

I use pine shavings in the bottom of my nest boxes with some DE sprinkled in. I put spanish moss in on top of the shavings. I live in Florida and spanish moss is abundant here. I sprinle DE on the spanish moss too, My eggs are nice and clean. Once in awhile I add a little DE to the shavings and mix it in, either change the moss or shake it out and add a little DE to it also. The girls will shape it. I average 4/5 eggs daily for every 6 of my girls.

 

[newchicks]

Great cmom, I'll add some hay to their spot. They actually lay in an old horse tank that I put hay in for them when they first came. I also put hay in the 2 feed bunks, but they picked the horse tank. I don't need to put in any DE now with it getting cold do I??

gritsar, we were hammering and drilling in our girls area last weekend, when suddenly one jumped into her nest to lay and my dh and I sat on the hay bales to watch and listen quietly....we're still new chicken parents. But after just a few minutes, she stood up and looked at us like get the h--- out of here, what are you staring at? We felt ashamed so we slunk out of there and went in the house...just slightly ashamed of ourselves for being egg laying peekers.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Just goes to show what I've said before. My girls are tramps. They don't care who the lay in front of!

 

[newchicks]

I added hay to the girls nest nest last night and this a.m. they jumped right in and layed their eggs, so it obviously didn't bother them a bit. They have free range over 4-8 acres, which includes our backyard ( all fenced in). I just didn't want them to get mad at me and go off some where and lay who knows where. Worked great thanks.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I just add the DE so if I unknowingly add any pest to their nests, because I use the moss right off the trees, and I live in a warmer climate.