4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[jills]

I got my two chickens 2 weeks ago, along with their Eglu cube. They are free ranging most of the time and very happy, but when it's time for bed they always sleep in the nest box. Does this matter, and if so how can I discourage them? Any advice gratefully received, from a very novice chicken owner.

[chelsea]

We have one nest box sleeper who prefers her bedroom quarters all to herself!

 

She was the same in the eglu before we had the cube. We havent discouraged her.

 

You could "partition" it off maybe with some kind of screening (card board or something similar) or put something in the nest box to stop her going in there.

[jills]

They both sleep in the nest box cuddled up together, and look so cosy I haven't had the heart to do anything about it. When we first had them it was very cold with frosts at night. They're not laying yet anyway so I guess I just wait and see what happens...

[chelsea]

They both sleep in the nest box cuddled up together

 

 

Awww, how cute! I wouldnt have the heart to move them either!

[Cooks]

me neither, mine have me wrapped around their wings arlready

[BarbaraJ]

I give up with the nesting box in my coop, some or all slep in it every night and Ebony the only one laying won't lay in it!! she insisits on laying in the corner of the coop!

[munchkin]

Margot sleeps in the nest box with Barbara cuddled up next to her. They look to comfy to move / discourage. Very pleased with Margot as when I came home at tea time Margot (I think) had laid her first egg

[TheCoop]

One of our chooks sleep in there every night. I think they take it in turns!

[Phosphorus]

You all need a Charlotte She sleeps half in the nest box and half on the roosting bars from what I can gather, with her head facing into the nesting box - blocks everyone else from getting in their to sleep She has done this same position for the last two nights - not sure if she stays there all night though

[Emma L]

Our three love to cuddle up in the nest box (which is quite cute) but they tend to poo in there and it was making it a bit mucky - I'd read on the forum that you can put a football in there to prevent it which worked, but then Fanny started to lay and she likes to go earlier than I can get up to take the ball out so we're just letting them get on with it!

[mayflower]

Four of my hens sleep in the nest box and one sleeps in the nest box entrance. When I first had them and found them sleeping there, I blocked the way one night with a cardboard box. The next day they were really agitated, so I did'nt stop them again. I just try to make sure that I clean it out before the hens start laying their eggs in the morning. I think it's nice to know they are warm and comfy at night.

[ajm200]

One of ours sleeps on the roosting bars with her bottom stuck in the nesting box so it always ends up filthy.

 

One of them seems to be treating it as a litterbox during the day too as I muck it out in the mornings only to find someone used it as a loo when I go out to check for eggs after lunch

 

I can't block it off at night as one of our hens seems to lay her egg at first light, It was there before 6 this am

[Bondinho]

Phoenix perches on the plastic hole bit leading into the nest box in the cube, and just poos away all night long directly into the nest box! At least it prevents any others sleeping in there I guess.

[Tessa the Duchess]

My two always sleep together in the nesting box, I don't mind at all. I renew the shredded paper every day, when I do the big clean out once a week there is hardly any poo in the poo tray, actually makes it easier for me

 

Tessa

[One_Box]

I must be hard!! I've hardly ever allowed hens to sleep in nest boxes whether in an eglu (made a wooden cover to go over it at night) or in our ark which has a nest fan as part of its construction anyway. I have on very rare occasions relented and let one of the girls settle down in the straw, so perhaps I have a heart after all

[BarbaraJ]

well i tried putting things in the nest box to stop them and they just shoved them over and squuezed in lol

[Leicester_H]

Here's how my 2 sleep

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=13658

 

H

[BarbaraJ]

awww

[pgainey]

My 2 both snuggle up together too! I was wondering if it is worth trying to deter them but reading this makes me think let them be!

 

Thaks again. Great forum for us newbies!