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

[angua]

Hi,

I have 6 ladies and a huge problem.

Every time I clean out their hutch they come in and redecorate. They usually heap everything up along the sides or toss it out completely. Their nest boxes are always bare (except for poo!), as is the patch under their perch. I try to distract them with food or a run in the flower beds while I clean but a few hours later there is paper and straw everywhere except where I put it.

What do I do to keep things clean? I cannot muck out every day! I have tried paper only but it seems to make no difference.

Help please!!

[Treekeeper]

You just have to learn to live with it! They always rearrange everything whatever is in the nesting box pulled out into the run Glugs and Grubs stood on top of with muddy feet as soon as they have been cleaned out. It's a no win situation

[Egluntyne]

Think of it as a teenagers bedroom.

 

If they want to sleep in a mess....I'd let them....just as long as they bring dirty washing and used cups down in the morning.

[mayflower]

They are soo funny. Annie, our top hen gives the other hens a running commentary on what I am doing when I'm cleaning out the nest box and trays. She watches me intently and talks 'at' me as if to say "hey this is our territory do'nt mess it up" I think it is because their scent is all over the house and run and when we 'disturb' it by cleaning they have to start again. The very first time I cleaned out the run of our ex bats they became quite distressed, because I unwittingly made them insecure again....so I left it for a while until they had settled in. I was only trying to be a good mummy henkeeper!!!

[..lay a little egg for me]

I don't know if this helps, but we just pick out the poo and wet shavings (using rubber gloves) and leave the rest of the bedding when we clean out (about twice a week). I've not yet changed the straw in the nest boxes as it is always so clean. Our 4 chooks never do any redecorating...is it that enough of their scent is left that they don't feel the need to disturb things? Before we used shavings under the perches we had chopped straw and they left that alone too.

 

Having said that, I think everyone's hens are different so who knows?