[Gerty333]

I've just moved them into a new coop because the one they were in was a bit small. I gave them a choice of 3 nest boxes and one chose a box and laid in it today - but then they both tried to sleep in it tonight!! i've taken the box out for now - is that the best idea??

[mgf]

Yes take the box out at night or block access until they are used to perching. Best to get them in a good habit for as soon as possible.

[joyfull]

for the next week or two go into their house whilst they are sleepy and lift them onto their perches, they should eventually get the idea 

[Pertelotte]

You could make a little screen and attach it to the 'mouth' of the nest box, or as happens at mine, the cat can keep it chicken free. My girls prefer to lay in the rabbit hutch anyway, so its academic.

They just know what they want, and it ain't always what you want. It just depends how important it is to you. As long as the girls are happy and the eggs are clean it should be OK.

Pertelotte

[hillfooter]

House design is important.  Roosts should be designed to provide the conditions which will encourage the birds to roost on them and not in the nestboxes.  Single perches don't allow the birds to huddle together on a cold night so they will often prefer the security and warmth of a nestbox. 

The ultimate solution is to shutter the nestboxes at night  as once the habit is ingrained there's little chance you can train them out of the habit.  I've got two houses where the birds always roost on their bars and two where some birds (not all) always try to roost in the nestboxes.  Shuttering still won't break the habit.  Start early and they don't develop the habit
HF

[mooie]

Just noticed that my girls are sleeping in their nest box, is it a problem other than they may get poop on their eggs which means Id have to clean them (when they decide to start laying  )

Obviously I poo pick daily anyway I just wondered if there was any real reason why they can't sleep there?

[Ice]

Single perches don't allow the birds to huddle together on a cold night so they will often prefer the security and warmth of a nestbox. 

D'oh.  Thanks for that I will put another one in.  Mine also prefer the nestbox to sleep in and poo all over the eggs.

[joyfull]

they can get things like eye infections through being so close to the pooh (One of mine got this which is why I would always advise perches to help anybody else's birds going through the same thing.
If you can't break this habit then you must clean the nest box out daily at least once - ideally twice - first thing in the morning and just in case any chicken has pooed in there during the day again before roosting time.   Then keep a check on your hens eyes.

[Gerty333]

they've only just started laying (sporadically) but they managed to break and eat their second lot of eggs, possibly because of where they laid them. Anyway as their nest box is a drawer its quite easy to remove, which is what I did tonight and moved them up onto the roost. Will see how they go.

[LittleRedHen]

I occasionally have a hen that sleeps in the nest box and I just let her get on with it.     The whole hen house gets cleaned daily.  My hens generally won't go in to lay an egg until I've cleaned it out.  There's always one that needs to come in during the process to tell me, "You've missed a spot!"    

[Casey76]

I can close my nest boxes off with a door.  Generally I will find one of the hens in there, but it doesn't take much to shoo her into the main coop before I close up for the night

[happychickens]

Hi on one lot of chickens I found it simpler when checking they were all in at night to simply picked them up and put them on the perch especially if it is dusk time as they are certainly not inclined to jump back down, it was only for a few days, - my lot get very grumpy if I move or alter their chosen nestbox - they all seem to like to use the same one, not the one to the left or right or at the other side!!!  oh well

[Junie]

My nest boxes are outside! they roost inside! They haven'y tried to sleep outside yet - but we have not yet had the summer with this arrangement. -

[hillfooter]

If all else fails you can have a sign, with an arrow pointing to the roosts, which says "sale 30% off this way"  ::)HF

[Big Bird]

On occasion one of mine will sleep in the nest box, I just leave them to get on with it.  Its just like me falling asleep in the chair in front of the TV..!!

I understand there may be risks but we have had our girls for over 18 months now with no problems.  I keep the coop and the nest boxes clean anyway.


BB