Single hen

[harveypup]

"Our Vera" sleeps in the nesting box every night and looks sooo comfy. She definitely isn't broody as her other chicken behaviour is fine and she only goes in during the day to lay. The problem is last night when I went to lock them up poor Hilda was scrunched up half in and half out of the box and looking very uncomfortable indeed!

I am wondering whether to put some sort of container in (with straw) that she could use. I am aware that I will need to clean more often as the poo doesn't drop through but this isn't a problem - I just want them to be happy! Wondered if anybody else has encountered this or are our girls just pampered

[Guest]

They're pampered!

 

One of mine sleeps in the nesting-box. This started in the winter and I think she liked the straw. I have noticed that in the really hot weather she doesn't sleep there - she's up on the bars with the others.

[chocchick]

Mine generally perch in different orientations, but sometimes Susannah sleeps in the nest (was Broody ). You might find they sleep somewhere entirely different if you keep checking every night.

[Cinnamon]

My little Lily always sleeps in the nest box,& also always goes to be first.....in fact the others won't go in until shes all tucked up

 

Unfortunatly,she poos in there too, but Aubiose in the nest box is brilliant,& it is very easy to keep clean now.

[The Dogmother]

I always seem to have at least one broody, so I put a plant pot in the nest at night to stop them getting any broody ideas . At one stage I had the others boycotting the nest for laying purposes as it was crowded with broodies, so I got an old washing up bowl, put a heavy stone in the bottom to stop it tipping up and filled it with Aubiose for use as a spare nest.

[harveypup]

Thanks all. Will have to keep an eye on proceedings for a while and then decide what to do. Washing up bowl sounds good though. Have just spent the last hour and a half sitting out in the garden in the rain with a big fishing umbrella and a brew, watching them both free range - Life really doesn't get any better than this!

[cute-chickens]

What's rain?

[PurpleHen]

My two take it in turns to sleep there - every other night - I kid you not

 

Very messy though

[Guest]

My lot all try to squish into the nestbox together - it's very cute, but can get a bit pooey.....

 

Regular cleaning of the nestbox is required, or you end up with dirty eggs.

[ubereglu]

Muddles used to sit in the nestbox every night-until I got fed up with cleaning her poo out of the nestbox! Also it's a tad annoying when this happens as if they lay early in the morning the eggs get all pooey!

 

We got her out of the nestbox by tickling her and pick her out. Now she knows that she'll get picked out and now she doesn't go in there a lot, apart from when she lays.

[Chicken on a mission]

Chilli and Ginger used to sleep in the nest box but haven't done for quite a few months now because I haven't had to clean the poo out of it

 

Mind you I bet they start that up again when the nights start drawing in again

[Happymama]

I manage two medium heavies in their nesting box together! rain or shine, sub zero or not.

 

I have a special stick for the poking out of hole in bottom of nesting box. You all know what I mean.

[harveypup]

Pleased to report that since I first posted this, our girls are now managing to snuggle up together in the nesting box too

 

I feel a lot happier now.

[freak29]

My two since i got them have slept head to toe in the nesting box, this is even during those scorchers we had! They look really cute and snuggly! It's funny, each of them have their own side of the bed, I wonder if they ever get out of the wrong side too? Any other tips for getting them to sleep on the bars? They seem kind of wasted...

[The Dogmother]

Pop an upside down plant pot in the nest in the evening, that'll stop them