LJ's Chooks Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Yep that's not just me .... this is my first posting, but also we're finding our feet keeping chickens. They arrived way back on the 16th of Jan. I fell for the whole Jamie and Hugh thing.... ordered our cube and then Omelet were on the phone delivering before I'd even thought twice ... or convinced my Hubby!!! Ah well ... the kids love them, but my hubby thought it was a good idea to let them out ... so now my almost 4 yr old cannot resist opening the cage as he passes!!! They are great, Pickle and Ginger are both laying well... though lots of odd poo is the only downside we have found so far. We have various shapes, colours and textures and I think we're becoming obsessed with the chickens and their poo!! Anyway the whole reason for this post was to find out if it is really a problem with the chooks sleeping in their nesting box... the monkeys sleep in there every night, and insist on pooing in there too!! Its frustrating for me changing the straw, but I've seen a web site that says they should be blocked out of there. Does anyone know if this will cause problems or is it just that its been a bit cold? I've got another 4 chooks coming in a few weeks so I need to figure this one out soon as it could get a bit crowded in there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Not a problem, many do. You could put a football or plant pot in there to stop them if you would prefer them not to....the trouble is you will have to be up very early to remove it so that they can lay. Mind you.....if yours aren't laying yet, you could try it for a few days to break the habit. I find that a couple of my girls start the night in the nest box, but end up on the roosting bars. (I've checked ) Welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ's Chooks Posted March 11, 2008 Author Share Posted March 11, 2008 thanks for that, I know you shouldn't believe all you read... and there is a lot to read when it comes to chickens... I dont think I've got any work done since they arrived! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol U Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I wouldn't worry about them sleeping in the nest box. I know it's a bit of a pain having to change some of the straw every day, but you soon get used to it and do it automatically. I just go along with my bucket, rubber glove and bag of straw every morning as I collect the eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Welcome! Yes, I've had several hens who have liked sleeping in the nest box ... sometimes I've seen two of them squashed in there together!! I just scoop out the poo & straw in the morning (or just the poo if it's firm enough !) and let them get on with it! Recently, Treacle has found the open bale of Hemcore in the summerhouse and has started to lay in there too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolo Rabbit Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I love your avatar LJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I have the same problem, Ebony sleeps on the perch and Ruby and Amber in the nest box. Won't the eggs be covered in poo when they start laying? or don't they lay straight away in the morning so you have time to poo pick before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 It won't do them any harm at all to sleep in the nest-box, but I find the daily poo collection really irritating. I put a plastic flower-pot in there before bed-time (in fact, I do it first thing in the morning as they have already laid by then). I nip up the garden and remove it after dark, so the nest-box is free to use in the morning - they could move back into it, but they seem to stay on the roosting-bars once they have settled there and gone to sleep. It's worth trying now, because you may be able to break the habit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 mine cram into the nesting box together and look so sweet it's a small price to pay to have to poo pick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I find that one of mine starts or ends the night in the nest box and there is often poo in there. However, because I've got Aubiose in the nest box it dries out and clumps the poo so I can just scoop it out with my hand when I open the Eglu in the morning. On my lie-in day hubby never does this so the eggs are usually sat on the poo-ey Aubiose but because it is dried out the eggs aren't covered in poo. Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 the monkeys sleep in there every night, and insist on pooing in there too I let my chooks sleep in the nestbox too. Probably shouldn't but hey it's cold out there. I've got Auboise in the nest box so poos are easier to flick out than if you use straw. But they do still get dirty feet and poo on their eggs so I just wipe it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
