My chickens are sleeping in the nestboxes!

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plotnumberseven

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  • Location: Essex
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My chickens are sleeping in the nestboxes!
« on: December 01, 2009, 12:11 »
Hi everyone,

About 6 weeks ago I re-homed 8 ex-batts. They're all doing really well, enjoying their new free range life!

One problem though, they are all sleeping in the two nest boxes in their chicken coup. I don't mind this in principle - I guess they are used to kipping in a small space with other hens, but problem is they also poop in there all night long! Also, a few eggs have got broken 'cos they're standing on them!

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to encourage them to perch in the main part of the hen house?
Real Food Forever!

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Arnfields

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Re: My chickens are sleeping in the nestboxes!
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2009, 12:21 »
Hello - and welcome to the fun world of chook keeping! :)

We rehomed 8 ex-batts back in September and they all crammed themselves into the nest boxes to sleep too, some underneath the others. 

After several months and growing some lovely new feathers they are finally starting to spread out a bit, one has taken to snoozing in the corner - behind the perches and another sometimes actually uses the perch. 
Give them time and they will get the idea, I 'poop pick' every morning in the nest box to keep it clean and dig around under the girls when we get home from work to collect the eggs so they don't get squished.

There are a few threads on here about making rollaways for the nest boxes, but I have yet to actually try them...good luck :)
1 lovely hubby, 3 dogs, a bunny and 7 ex batts and a shiny new lottie!  (so far)

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Bigblacktaximan

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Re: My chickens are sleeping in the nestboxes!
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2009, 13:17 »
I just keep gently lifting/shooing/ pushing mine out of the nest box into the coop

hopefully they get the idea soon.

some people block off the nest boxes at night,   this leads to its own problems as some hens might lay before you get there and will lay in the coop/on the floor

Out of curiosity,  where are you in Essex ?

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RoyMK

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Re: My chickens are sleeping in the nestboxes!
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2009, 20:34 »
My 4 lay all their eggs in the bottom right hand corner of the coop 2 of them sleep in the nest box and the other 2 roost on the perch.

I gave up trying to get them to lay in the nest box long ago,  but im still getting 4 eggs most days so I think its wise to go with the flow and let them sort it out their selves.

Roy

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hillfooter

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Re: My chickens are sleeping in the nestboxes!
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2009, 03:15 »
Hi plotnumber7,

All chx, ex bats or not, like to huddle up to keep warm and nestboxes provide the perfect environment for them.  I personally don't like them fouling their nestboxes and contaminating their eggs so I shutter off the nestboxes at night.  Saves time in the morning and the chx will still huddle up on their perches at night, if the perches are amenable. 

If your perches are just a single or double rail they can't easily huddle and this encourages them to use the nestboxes.  I prefer a grill type perch where there are 4 or more rails set about 3 to 4inches apart. They can more easily huddle up on these.  Even in trees they prefer to huddle, see picture. There's no way you can train them not to use the nestboxes if you allow them access.  I've tried and the instinct to huddle together particularly in the winter cold is just too strong.

Good luck
HF
Legbars roosted in tree WEB.jpg
Truth through science.



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