Cube mk2 and WIR

[attenbhp]

We've had the chickens for a couple of months now, and five of the six are laying - so 4 or 5 lovely eggs per day.

 

Marvelous!!!

 

But they all want to sleep in the nest box of the Cube. For a while I put up with it, and cleared the straw out, but they lay very early in the day, and we were getting a lot of poop on the eggs.

 

So I've been blocking the nest box off before they go to bed, and going out at midnight to unblock it. This has worked well, and, although they are sometimes found in there in the morning, there is no poop at all. This suggests that they poop at bed time, but not during the night.

 

After a week, I tried not blocking it up - and they were straight back to their old poopy habits.

 

I don't really see my present solution as being a long-term one.

 

Any suggestions ?

[urbanchick]

Same problem here, and it is definitely from sleeping in there overnight - the ex batts seem to prefer it

[Gallina]

I physically moved my hens on to the bars through the nesting box each night until eventually they got the idea.

 

I am not strict enough with my hens generally, but I am determined that I am not going to clean up after them every morning before going to work.

[alison]

All six of mine sit on top of each other in the nest box, I've tried to move them, but they look so content and happy!

 

Is it really a no no for them to sleep there?

 

Mine are on shredded paper and it is so flattened in the morning I am able to roll it up from one end of the box to the other including all the poop. I put new paper in, this is at 7.00am, it takes a minute and the nest book is clean of poop. Mine aren't laying yet, but would assume that they would lay later than this?

[Gallina]

Hens can lay at any time after it gets light. I usually get at least one egg before 7am, and I am quite pleased about this, as it is a good use of time when they are cooped up anyway.

 

There isn't a problem if the eggs do get dirty, as long as you wipe them off and crack them with care. I just feel it is more natural and better for strengthening the hens' legs if they perch as nature intended rather than slopping about in a plastic container.

 

No that's not the true: I am just lazy and don't want to clean up after them every day. My hens do exactly what they want in every other respect and I feel I need to show them sometimes that I am in charge of their roost. I only had to sort them out a few nights before they started using the bars as a matter of course.

 

Broody hens are different: I was amazed at how clean my broody kept the nesting box.

[attenbhp]

Thanks for the feedback.

Looks like this is not an unusual problem.

 

6:30 am poop-picking really doesn't appeal to me.

I think I'll continue with enforcement for a while longer, then try again.

[Sarah B]

One of mine sleeps in the nest box and poos in the nest box.

 

I dont think there is much you can do, I go out there in the morning and remove the poo from the aubiose. At least if its aubiose it drys it and you can pick the poo up easily.

[Poplars]

One of mine sometimes sleeps in the nest box (they have straw made from wood in there (?)

 

There are sometime poos in there but it rarely gets on the eggs because it has usually dried by morning :sick:

 

They won't stop by themselves and I really can't be bothered, I leave the house at 7 and don't want to have to wake up earlier

[drliz]

i just posted a very similar question in the eglu & cubes section - "newbie question about nest box" some helpful answers there too!

[lindi]

We have had exactly the same problem but found when I sprinkled red mite powder in there (had dusted chooks but thought a bit extra where they nest wouldn't hurt) and the pooing stopped. No idea if two things are related or just a coincidence.