Moonie Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Hello all, I was wondering if its ok to let my girls sleep in the nesting area, all three huddle in there at night, and they do look nice and comfy, I don't have the heart to send them back into the big roosting area, which isn't as snug looking!! They're not laying yet so not too worried about it, but is it a habit i should be breaking?? Also Beryl is the quiet one of the three tends to sit alot, is this a sign that shes about to lay an egg or is there something wrong? She is very quiet compared to the other two and does have a very 'slight' limp but after investigation doesn't seem to have anything wrong?! She looks healthy, eats loads and seems fine, should i just accept that some are just quieter, like in real life?! What do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 is there a lot of poo in the nest area in the morning? if so, you'll have to get up early to poop pick or you'll have eggs covered in and if there's a lot of poo in there, they might decide it's not a nice place to lay an egg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonie Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share Posted December 3, 2007 I've been cleaning it out each morning, fab job first thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 I prefer not to let mine sleep in the nestbox of course sometimes it doesn't work and Muddles still ends up in there, but generally it's easier not to let them as it means you have to clean out the nestbox less and won't get pooey eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Because I'm a useless soft touch I've just let ours get on with it. I did start throwing them out at night, putting plant pots in or footballs, but they just crammed in a corner next to it. Now I have pooey eggs (nice ) as one of them ALWAYS lays before I get up. Still, it does look nice and snug, most we had was five in there!! Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 I'm a soft touch as well - I did put a plant pot in there one night but when I opened the eglu door in the morning Prada was sitting on top of it giving me that pleading look so now they get to sleep there and they do look so cute. (here's when they were little but it's how they still sleep together - yes Gucci is under there somewhere) I use aubiose in the nest topped with a little bit of straw which gets shoved to one side, usually the poo is on there and the eggs on the aubiose (luck not training) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Hello all, I was wondering if its ok to let my girls sleep in the nesting area, What do you all think? Do you really think you can stop them doing something if they want to? I'd like to stop mine escaping from the run, I'd like to stop them jump/flying up onto the shed roof, I'd like to try and stop them eating my lettuces out of the veg. garden, I'd like to stop them ...... Sleeping in the nest box is the least of my worries - so long as they are sleeping somewhere within the confines of an Omlet fabrication I'm happy - at least it means they aren't in a tree, or roosting God knows where. I'm sorry but I've now got a vision of you giving them a stiff talking to ......'now then girls, I don't want anyone sleeping in the nest box tonight. If I find you disobeying me, you will all have to stay behind and write out 100 times 'I must not poo in the nest box'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 I have a wooden coop/arc with 3 nest boxes, at least one of the nest boxes has a great load of dollop in it every morning- thankfully they lay in the other 2 clean ones or sometimes an egg is laid in the middle of the floor of the coop, which is really awkward to reach! However, one day I caught Maud laying an egg in a nest box already occupied by another egg so she just hoofed the other egg across the floor of the coop and it ended up, surprise surprise, in the middle of the floor! Thank heavens for aubiose (cushioned the impact)! So now I'm not sure if we have a hen that likes to lay on the floor or a mischievous would be footballer! Anyway, yes, I do let mine sleep wherever they want to but we poop scoop every day and it's easier to reach it if they do it in the nest box and we have 3 nest boxes, only 1 of which seems to get dirtied... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 I'm sorry but I've now got a vision of you giving them a stiff talking to ...... Me and my girls have an arrangement, I tell them exactly what the ground rules are and they break them, seems to work well Like as if you don't talk to your girls Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 I what a lovely picture. It amazed me how small they look - None of mine use the eglu now, but when Georgie and Doris used it, whichever one managed to get into the nest box to sleep (usually Georgie) used to take up all of the nest box and overflow the edges! They are lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 [Like as if you don't talk to your girls Richard I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, the trouble is, they talk back - and we understand each other. Now that IS worrying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonie Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 Hello all, I was wondering if its ok to let my girls sleep in the nesting area, What do you all think? Do you really think you can stop them doing something if they want to? I'd like to stop mine escaping from the run, I'd like to stop them jump/flying up onto the shed roof, I'd like to try and stop them eating my lettuces out of the veg. garden, I'd like to stop them ...... Sleeping in the nest box is the least of my worries - so long as they are sleeping somewhere within the confines of an Omlet fabrication I'm happy - at least it means they aren't in a tree, or roosting God knows where. I'm sorry but I've now got a vision of you giving them a stiff talking to ......'now then girls, I don't want anyone sleeping in the nest box tonight. If I find you disobeying me, you will all have to stay behind and write out 100 times 'I must not poo in the nest box'. I feel like i've just been told off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 No Moonie, thats just Richard for you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonie Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 No Moonie, thats just Richard for you!! OH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 I feel like i've just been told off! I'm really really sorry - I didn't mean it like that at all. I certainly didn't mean to be patronising or 'tell you off' in any way at all. I will now stop digging as I'm in a big enough hole already. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 But I'd still like to see you try to stop them if they really want to ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rona Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 I was late home tonight and looked through the egg port to say goodnight when I shut them up and all three of them were snuggled up in the nest. They were so warm and cosy I wish I could have joined them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 No Moonie, thats just Richard for you!! Richard has a very dry sense of humour I can really relate to He's a pussy cat and a really, really nice bloke. I wouldn't have him any other way, don't worry, he wasn't telling you off, you'll get used to him I must stop winking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonie Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 I feel like i've just been told off! I'm really really sorry - I didn't mean it like that at all. I certainly didn't mean to be patronising or 'tell you off' in any way at all. I will now stop digging as I'm in a big enough hole already. Sorry. *hands richard a spade* Only joking, it's fine I didn't really take offence!! I've had words with my girls and they've taken no notice and are still snuggling up in the nesting area not taking a blind bit of notice to my 'telling off!' I did take my husband down to have a look at how cute they were last night, he did say we'll have to get some more girls so they can keep warmer together!! He should have learnt now that give me a inch. i'll take a mile!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Get on the phone to a local breeder BEFORE he changes his mind!! Trust me, act swiftly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonie Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 Get on the phone to a local breeder BEFORE he changes his mind!! Trust me, act swiftly!! Myself and junior are visiting Stofold Poultry Centre this afternoon!! Is that swift enough?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I personally would have been there at 7am this morning, but what works for you!! All the best with your new girls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonie Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 Thank you Christian! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Hello all, I was wondering if its ok to let my girls sleep in the nesting area, all three huddle in there at night, and they do look nice and comfy, I don't have the heart to send them back into the big roosting area, which isn't as snug looking!! My 2 do this as well. Chikki (top chicken) gets in first. Boo lies next to box with head resting on Chikki (if its cold). VERY occasionally, an egg is messy, but not often enough to worry about. So I let them get on with it - as Richard says, just try stopping them doing something they want to do - impossible unless you watch them 100% ofthe time. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 good luck with the new girls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
