Roosting in Nesting Boxes

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Betty the Boss

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Firstly, hi! I'm a newbie to the forum and chicken keeping...

Secondly, I'm sorry I know this topic is addressed somewhere on the site cos I stumbled upon it at one point but can't find it now and I'm having a problem with my youngsters. Have blocked it off for now but there is a chance they will start laying soon so need to unblock I guess.

Can anyone help me please!?!

PS Love the new site btw
PPS the username is one of my chickens not mine!
 
Hello Betty and welcome to the forum. Roosting in the nest boxes is a common problem for youngsters and as you have done, block the box off for now, is the best solution. The alternative is to pick them out and put them on the perch at night. They can't see very well in the dark, so will stay on the perch until morning. They should have got the idea before they start laying and once they have, in my experience, they won't return to sleep in the nest box unless they are broody, ill or are being bullied.
 
Hi Betty and welcome.
Young pullets do like to explore the nest boxes before they're ready to lay their first eggs, so they need them unblocked during the day, ready for the first Lovely Surprise. As Chris says, they often need to be taught to use perches because they most probably will have been reared in a shed or barn, so won't have encountered them before they come to you. If is important to teach them to roost on the perches before they start to lay, as they will poo in the boxes overnight and this leads to dirty eggs next day. It's easy to train them, just go down when they've roosted and lift them on to the perches. After a few nights, you'll probably go down end find them all neatly lined up where they're supposed to be.
How old are they now? If their combs are getting redder and if they crouch when you put a hand over their backs, it won't be long to the first eggs.
 
our hens are crouching now when i try to get hold of them, i just thought they were relenting.... should have some lovely eggs soon hopefully!
 
Interesting how they do that crouching thing. I guessed that it's an instinct to minimise the chance of a predator injuring their body (with all the risks of broken shells) and if they are going to lose something then wings are expendable. Maybe.
Our first egg was tiny!
 
Interesting theory, Rick, but actually it's a reflex in adult hens who are actually welcoming/hoping for the attentions of a cockerel!
When they rush around shouting after they've laid an egg, similarly they are really notifying the cockerel that they're now ready for another go.
Shame that 99.9% of hens never actually meet a cockerel, isn't it? Rather a triumph for wishful thinking, maybe.
 
Oooh, glad I read this post. Our two Bantams always go to bed in the nest box, is it a problem? One of them has laid intermittently but the other shows no sign and is in fact moulting.
We have only had them a couple of weeks as we rescued them after they were dumped in the local woods. We are learning very quickly about chickens!
Should we move them onto the perches?
Thanks!
 

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hi Nancy, and welcome to the forum. What a lovely pic of your two beautiful girls. They're very lucky to have been rehomed with you.
Most people encourage their hens to perch at night rather than using the boxes because hens poo in their sleep, so in the nestboxes they have to sit in it all night, and breathe the ammonia fumes, which isn't very nice. More importantly, any eggs laid next morning will land on the poo, which makes them dirty and less attractive, let alone the hygiene aspect. The hens don't mind, and get very cosy in the boxes, as your pic demonstrates, but perching is the natural way for them to sleep, after all, - they have a grip reflex in their toes which locks them on to the perch so they don't fall off when asleep, even if in a tree on a windy night. They can be taught to do this by lifting them on to the perches after they've gone to roost. Normally it only takes a few nights before they get the idea. It will help if you place large plastic flower pots to block off the boxes in the afternoon, when you think they've done laying for the day, - don't forget to remove them next morning though! If you only have two hens you can block one box all the time, as one box is plenty for up to 3 birds.
It looks as if you have a good quality coop there, but as the boxes are at the same height as the perches you'll have difficulty in getting them to use the perches. Coops usually have perches higher than the nestboxes because hens always like to perch as high as possible. Not sure if it could be possible to make the perches a bit higher?
 
Thanks Marigold, that's very helpful information. I think we thought they would naturally perch, but as you say, if the perches are at the same height then maybe they are a bit confused? They have clearly used the perches as there is poo in the bottom tray, but also there has been poo in the nest boxes (and my, they can do big poos can't they!). I'll have a look as to how we can raise the perches for sure.
They are about to go to bed and I have put a flower pot in one box. Can I just clarify - do you mean I should block both boxes until the morning?
Thanks!
 
Yes, else they'll just pile in to the open one, though once darkness falls and they settle, they'll stay perched if you've moved them across out of the boxes.
 
Hello Nancy,
georgeous birds, look to have a touch of gamebird in them - the tail shape. Hope I am not putting a spanner in the works, by suggesting the lovely creamy one is a cockerel, owing to the comb development, if they are both the same age.
Hope for you they are both girls, a beautiful pair.
 
Thanks Valerie, to be honest we have no idea what they are!
But, I can assure you that the pale one, Henny Penny (we think she is a Friesan??) is a girl! She has given us the grand total of three eggs....in three weeks.... Whereas Ria, the dark one (we are thinking she's a Pheasant Wyandot Bantam???) has not earned her keep yet but is moulting, so we're cutting her some slack!
I did put flower pots in the nest boxes but when I looked this morning they had squidged themselves at the side of them! Plan B tonight.
 
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