How much of a problem is it?

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Scrumptious

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How much of a problem is it?
« on: July 12, 2010, 08:50 »
Hiya,

We have had our chickens for a week now... they are about 19 weeks (none of them are laying yet) thing is they just won't sleep on the roosts in the house and sleep in the nest box.  At night when we go to bed we move them but then they either huddle on the floor or go straight back in the nest box.

How much of a problem is this?  It makes the straw all pooey which isn't so good for the compost as it takes so long to rot.  I've heard about blocking off the nest boxes at night? should i give it a try?

Any help would be great!

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carolbriar

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2010, 09:21 »
Hi, mine are exactly the same.  I've had them since November and they either sleep in the nest box or on the floor of the house.  In the winter, they all squeeze into two nest boxes.  Mine seem to have stopped pooing in the nest boxes or if they do it is only occasionally.  I don't worry about them not roosting but I am sure there are others that might.
2 Springer Spaniels, 1 Speckled Sussex,  1 Cuckoo Maran, 1 Light Sussex, 1 Welsummer, 2 Barnvelders and 2 silver Pencil Wyandotes.

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evie2

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2010, 11:35 »
My 5 all sleep in the nesting box, as did the ones the fox got. The ones I have now haven't started laying yet (even though I was assured they were) but the others always laid in a corner of the coop  .

May this day be blessed with gifts, understanding and friends.  Merlin 2001-2012 Pandora 2001-2013 xxx

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Jeanette

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2010, 11:43 »
Mine sleep on the floor of the coup even though i have tried to get them to pearch. I know it is better for them to pearch but as long as they are happy and healthy i dont mind.

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nicky d

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2010, 17:53 »
Mine dont roost either, they go in the nest boxes,   When i let them out in the morning i pick out any poo so the boxes are clean for when they go in and lay eggs.  I personally would prefer it if they did roost though :mad: nickyx
4 girlies,  Nessa, Pamela, Stacey and Tina

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Scrumptious

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2010, 18:13 »
Glad it's not just my ladies!

they are pesky scamps!

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Kym503

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2010, 23:17 »
Min eventually got the hang of it but it took about a year to get them all sleeping nicely!  Funny enough I have two 6 week old chicks that I ended up raising under lamps (another story).  I've started to get them sleeping in an out building and they are desparate to perch up high on anything they can find .... not on trhe low little perch I made for them.  I've never had to show them what to do ... it has come naturally to them.

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Wild Pony

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2010, 00:29 »
My first ever troupe used to roost in the stable above my horse and in the morning the cockrel used my horses anti cast roller (had a big iron arch on it) as a crowing perch! And in the winter would all perch on his back to keep warm.
My girls now don't use the perch at all in one house, but do in the other, that is if they can be bothered to climb the ramp  :D :D :D

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GerryOB

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2010, 07:05 »
I was just about to ask the same question.  My four girls are 19 weeks too, not laying yet, and seem to either sleep on the floor of the coop or in the nest boxes.  I'm not really fussed where they sleep.  My guess is that like us, they will sleep where they are most comfortable, and if that's snuggled up on the floor or on the hay, then what odds does it make.

I haven't got any of them tame enough to let me catch them yet.  They will come right up to me when I'm sitting on the ground right outside the run, and one of them will let me stroke her chest when she comes into the coop if I have the door open, but other than that, if I open the door they all run up the other end where I can't get to them.  I did think of opening the coop door once they were all shut in, and putting them on perches, but I think it would just cause chaos as it would spook them and I don't think it's worth stressing them in that way.

Only thing that buggs me is that they do poo in the nest boxes, which I'd like to discourage, but I don't know how.

I'm hoping my lot don't lay their eggs in the run, as I can't get in there to get them.  I have visions of me on all fours, broom in hand, trying to extricate an egg from the far corner of the run  :(  (Did tell hubby we needed a run I could stand up in!).


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joyfull

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2010, 11:02 »
please do try not to let your ladies sleep on the floor or on the nest box bedding, I had 2 sablepoots that did just that and ended up with a severe eye infection - they got bacteria in their eyes from their bedding and poop. I kept trying the putting them on the perch but they either jumped off or fell off  ::), so now all on their floor they have wooden slats (from an eglu) to stand or lie on and this has solved their problems - their pooh falls through the slats and onto the flooring below (the slats are only about an inch off the ground), all I have to do is take out the slats every day or so, lift out the cushion floor and shake it into the compost bin, a quick wash over and voila a clean coup with healthy happy sablepoots  :D.
Staffies are softer than you think.

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Curlytop

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #10 on: July 13, 2010, 13:09 »
Mine were sleeping in the nesting box when I first got them; I just waited until they had settled down and were sleepy and then picked them up and placed them on the perch, it took about 2 weeks for them to get used to sleeping on the perch and I haven't had a problem since. I still open the coop at night do a quick head count and say goodnight, I do get the odd glare as much to say "ok, we are all here and doing as we were told"

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buzzibea

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2010, 22:51 »
Hi, just been reading about your problem as regards hens sleeping in nesting boxes. Mine have been doing the same and after reading the replies you had, I thought I better go and try and move them onto the perches once they where sleepy. Anyhow my son had placed two bought eggs into their nesting boxes to encourage them to lay and I have just gone to try and move them onto the perches and guess what they where all on the perches! I don't know if its something to do with the eggs being in their nest boxes or just a fluke. Hope this will be it and they got the message. Good luck with yours.
 I have 5 hens and I bought them 3 weeks ago point of lay but no eggs so far.

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buzzibea

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2010, 16:58 »
Hi, just been reading about your problem as regards hens sleeping in nesting boxes. Mine have been doing the same and after reading the replies you had, I thought I better go and try and move them onto the perches once they where sleepy. Anyhow my son had placed two bought eggs into their nesting boxes to encourage them to lay and I have just gone to try and move them onto the perches and guess what they where all on the perches! I don't know if its something to do with the eggs being in their nest boxes or just a fluke. Hope this will be it and they got the message. Good luck with yours.
 I have 5 hens and I bought them 3 weeks ago point of lay but no eggs so far.
update on My chucks since last night we now had two small eggs which were laid mid morning by the light sussex and the black tail! Is this due to foreign eggs been placed or just coincidence?

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evie2

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2010, 21:39 »
Mine now perch at night too.  We were pruning out the pear and apple trees so used some branches in their run; they all perched :) so we put 2 inside the coop and that's where they sleep and they lay in the nesting box now :) :) 

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Colbeck1megane

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Re: How much of a problem is it?
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2010, 21:49 »
We had the same problem until we lowered the perch for them and now they fight for who roosts next to who! One still sleeps in nesting box (unless another has upset her and she will go onto perch so they can't) but she has weak legs and wobbles. She also never poops in her bedding but waits til morning to race out and let it all out at our feet! Such a nice chicken :)


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