Solitary chicken - need advice

[Woodchick]

This is my 10th night of chicken keeping and I wondered if it was normal for the girls to sleep (at least to begin with) in the nesting box (of a cube)? Tonight 2 were in there and one straddling the 'porthole' and a couple of nights ago 1 was in the nestbox and 2 appeared jammed in the doorway. Obviously they had disentangled themselves by morning. It looks very comfy with straw in there so I can't blame them but is it normal? Thanks in advance.

 

Sue

[Omletina Kyckling]

I have an Eglu, so it's not quite the same, but every night, my three girls start off in a stack three high in the nesting box.....when I peer through the eggport, I have to count heads as they all blend into one body..!!

[Scottie]

I don't think it really matters. I've just looked in on mine and there's one in the nesting box and the rest on the roosting bars. Some people discourage sleeping in the nesting box as it makes the eggs dirty. You can't really force them into sleeping in the other bits though can you?

 

Sheila

[Woodchick]

That's very reassuring - thanks!

There's a bit of stress involved over the last 10 days but on the whole it has been great fun and it is so useful to be able to ask questions not covered in the books or even on google!

[BeckyBoo]

You can stop them, put a plant pot or a football in there - obviously you have to remember to remove it fairly early on in case of early layers, or you can just let them turn into a big feather cushion, piled at least three high in the nest at night.

Personally I just let them sleep where they want and there's a scrum every night for the best place in the nest

 

Mrs B

[One Man Banned]

We have an Eglu too and the laydees all seem to fight for the "prime" spot of the nesting box.

 

I just let them get on with it, although last night it seemed all three wanted to be atop of each other

 

Bless 'em

 

A

xx

[chelsea]

I have 2 nest box sleepers at the moment, the 3rd has been ousted to the roosting bars, they all switch around.

 

I leave them to it!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Mine used to sleep in the nestbox but now roost in a nice tidy row, bums facing towards the back of the eglu .

 

I keep a scoop beside the eggport in case there's any poop in the nest (very rare nowadays ) - I just flick it out and through the roosting bars.

[SAB]

I have had all of mine start on the roosting bars and then somehow all be in the nest box by morning! Also one who likes to perch on the top of the partition to the nesting box.

[Phosphorus]

Gemma is in the nest everynight with sometimes another one sleeping through the door to the roosting bars I just let them get on with it and take out any poo from the nest in the morning when I let them out - I don't have any early layers at the moment

[Egluntyne]

I have a few of nest box sleepers.

 

They take it in turns....different girls are in there each night.

[Laura & CTB]

Prada always bags the nest box so Gucci has to try and squeeze alongside her. I now put extra straw on the roosting bars behind the nest box

 

she seems to like it.

[Tigerlily]

My girls also all sleep on the nestbox

 

Mabel takes herself off to bed, so always gets prime spot no wonder! The other girls need help going to bed, so pile on top of her when they go in!

Must be the comfy straw... I have just changed it for fresh if their was any poo, but they are only 17 weeks old, so aren't laying yet anyway...

 

BW x