Winter coop cleaning

[SamQ]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum so I hope I've posted this in the right section!

I have two ex-bats Poppet and Dixie who are looking beautiful now their feathers are growing back.
Ruby a very cute chatty speckeldy full of character and Bluebell (an originally named blubell!) who is just starting
to moult. I love them!!

My girls are in bed when I go to work in the morning and will soon be in bed when I get home from work.
I've had my girls for five weeks and they have all chosen to sleep in the nest box. This means
it gets very poopy each day! Does anyone have any ideas how I can poop pick up from the nest box and house when it's dark and they're in bed by the time I'm home. I've tried getting them onto the perches but they don't want to play! I can't leave the nest box full of poop but I don't know how to work round the dark nights. Any advice would be gratefully received! Thanks! Sam x

 

[Fred's Hens]

Pooping in nesting boxes means they are sleeping the nesting boxes, no doubt.

This is commonly caused by having the nesting boxes much too high. Since these are ex-batts, they've not grown accustomed to roosts, no doubt, and they'll need a little time to learn to sleep higher on a multi-rung roost system. Their instincts will hopefully return. A chicken loves to sleep up a little higher, where they feel more secure. As ex-battery hens, they've been kept in essentially a nesting box, actually a cage, for a long time. Lower the nesting boxes down to the floor or use temporary boxes that are on the floor. Have a roosting system that allows them to gradually move their higher until they've mastered roost sleeping.

 

[rancher hicks]

I to suggest moving the nest boxes or put the roosts slightly higher.

I would also suggest that you keep moving them each night and block the nest boxes so they can't get back in. You can uncover the nest boxes in the morning and block them when you get home. They'll catch on. Chickens are not the dumb clucks they're said to be.


I wish you the best,

Rancher

 

[SamQ]

Hi! Thank you both for your advice, I will make their perches higher and
block the nesting box at night. Will keep popping them back on the perches too as it's
a good excuse for a quick cuddle!

Thank you! X

 

[SamQ]

Hi again,

Well I've made their perch higher than their nest box and for the past two nights I've lifted them out of the nest box and put them onto the perch. I've blocked the nest box off too so we will see how many nights it takes them to work it out!

 

[jeepguy982001]

good luck