Single hen

[noyan]

any ideas how to stop two of my chooks sleeping in the nest box. had them a 11 days.blocked up the entrance for a couple of nights, they got through once. Have opened it up in the morning just in case someone wants to lay an egg.

[HENthusiastic]

Do you need to? My thoughts on it are, that if one of my girls wants to sleep in the nest box, then why not? I have one girl, May and Ex Batt who always sleeps in the nest box. I figure shes had a tough life and if she now decides she likes sleeping in a nest box, then thats exactly where she shall sleep

 

If you really want to stop her, then Ive heard others put things in there to stop them, such as a big flower pot.

[Egluntyne]

I'm with HEN on this one. Not all hens want to perch. The downside to them not perching is a pooey nestbox occasionally.

 

Once or twice, when I have gone out to them late at night, I've discovered that they have shifted into a perching position later on, after starting out in the nest box.

 

Why not set your alarm for 1.45am and go out and have a look.

[Rhoderunner]

All three of mine cuddle up in the nest box every night! And yes it is full of poo each morning. I just pick it out!

[roo4006]

Hi,

 

Both of mine sleep in the nest box, they always have and I don't try to stop them.

I just pick out the poo in the morning.

 

I have read that some people put footballs in the nest boxes to stop them sleeping in them.

 

Ruth x

[Omletina Kyckling]

I have 6 girls in a Cube, and 5 sleep in the nesting box, and one in the round door to it.

 

I just poo pick each day to get rid of any nasties - I find this much easier since I swapped from straw to aubiose in the nest box.

[Plum]

Why not set your alarm for 1.45am and go out and have a look.

 

Yeh you could go out at 2.30 and 3.45 as well

[thewhitehouse]

Yep - one of my new girls starts off in the nest box and there's always poo in the straw in the morning. I just pick it out. I don't consider it a problem.

[HENthusiastic]

Why not set your alarm for 1.45am and go out and have a look.

 

Yeh you could go out at 2.30 and 3.45 as well

 

 

Maybe Egluntine's an insomniac

 

Nice new avatar by the way Egluntine

[fluffyknickers]

My three sleep in the nest box - they arent laying yet though. However I cannot bring myself to chuck them out of it as they look so cute all hudled together.

 

I do have to pooh pick a lot though out of it - but they have me well trained.

x

[cathybc]

my three all sleep on top of each other in the nest box. Yes it is full of poo but they have to do it somewhere !

[westleigh]

some of mine sleep in the nest box,i dont mind just have to clean it out more often

[Redwing]

One of mine sleeps in the nestbox, I used to try and get them used to sleeping on the roosting bars but now I go out in the mornings with one rubber glove on - the clean hand takes out any eggs and the gloved hand slings the poo out of the nestbox, its a routine now

 

On a more practical note Claret discovered that one of the TubTrug sizes fits the nest box hole exactly - like a big plug