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

[Gelbel]

Me & the DH are sat here with tears rolling down our faces (in a good way). I gave everything a damn good clean today and decided that, as the nights are really drawing in, I would put big plant pots in the nest box to try to break the girls' habit of kipping in there.

 

I've done it now so that if they start to create and bok mega decibels when they saw the pots; the noise won't worry the neighbours - being at a reasonable time and all that.

 

So we popped out to see them at 18:15 as it was remarkably quiet.................all three are bedded down, albeit very squashed, in the 3" space at the back of the pots at the rear of the nest box. Rita was even using a pot as a pillow.

 

They must have done contortions to get over the pots to the space at the back in the first place.

 

So that's it - pots out, they can kip in there if they are that determined.

 

Don't you just love them?

[greenfreek]

When mine all go to bed, they all go in the next box first off. I try and move them they get a bit mardi with me so what i've started doing is closing the main door but then taking the roof off the nest box. i leave the roof off while I'm refilling the food and water for the following day and raking the bark back in place and generally just tidying up. While im doing this they get a bit chilly and move into the main house on to the roosting bars. once they're settled, I'll put the roof back on and leave them to it.

 

Not sure what sort of house you have but worth a try if its possible

[Gelbel]

Cold (and rain come to that) does not bother mine at all.

 

I prefer to spruce up and replenish food & drink in the morning as it gives me time to check them over and means I get bit of fresh air before work (I work from home so BH ((before hens)) I sometimes went days without any ) and can never tell what time I will have in the evening......but they do get visits from me when the kettle is on during the day and are FR when I am getting tea (until they go to bed before I finish work when the clocks change).

 

If they are so determined to sleep in the nest box after negotiating such big pots and so little room - I think they should be allowed.

 

I've been back out now and all 3 are settled on top of each other, fast asleep and snoring, in one of the corners of the box.

 

So I'll just have to plant those pots up next week - wonder what flowers they will fancy pecking at in the spring?

[chick wiggle]

Clever little madams aint they?

[Chicken Shirl]

A hen will go where a hen wants to go. Yes! I do just love em!!!! Does it really matter that they want to sleep in the nest box lovely and snug together on cold nights. If I were them I would be in there with my friends. I'm with you. Let them do it.

[chickweed]

I am also trying to get one of my rescue chickens out of the habit of sleeping and pooing in the eglu nest box.

 

The plant pot idea didn't work, so I tried a large basket ball. There was still poo in the nest box in the morning, so I have also been wedging a large lid from a plastic box between the nest box and the roosting bars. This has stopped the chickens' rear ends overhanging the edge of the nest box.

 

It means I have to be out early to remove these things so the chickens can lay. I have found an egg on the bars and in the run when I wasn't early enough.

 

I hope this works as I'm really fed up finding eggs on a sodden pooey mess!

[sparkysmum]

My ladies always sleep in the nest box. In fact Boris thinks this is only her bed & gets quite squawky if she doesn't get there first Can't say it has ever bothered me.

[cluckingmad]

Oh bless them! Well, if they like it in there so much...

[ChrisEllis]

Whats wrong with them sleeping in the nest box?

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Whats wrong with them sleeping in the nest box?

 

Wherever they sleep they poo Chris, and if they sleep & poo in the nestbox, then lay an egg, it in turn gets pooy

 

I must admit I have given up the fight........sometimes the lower hens go in the NB to escape the bolshy big girls, my batties have earned the right to sleep wheresoever they choose, and tonight I posted Buffie who's not well again in through the egg port so she'll be with her friends overnight rather than in a cat basket with 3 Lab noses snuffling her

I did however turf the Bitzas out of the nestbox, and filled it with a bundle of chicken wire, as I'm breaking Blossom's broodiness. I'll still end up with poo in the NB though as Clover likes to roost on top of the dividing wall with her botty over the NB rather than the roosting bars

 

Sha x

[Janty]

I've given up the fight as well. I did put straw onto the roosting bars and this sorted out a lot of them but the persistent offenders now get their own way and sleep where they want to...it's not worth the hassle to argue with them, bless them.

 

[ChrisEllis]

Couldnt you jus get some ply wood and stick it across the nesting box...unless u have an eglu...might be worth writing to them to make a gadget that flaps down at night to stop them sitting in the nesting boxes ?

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Trouble is Chris that a lot of the girls go to bed before we get home from work, so fitting a gadget isn't always feasible....and moving the chooks out onto the bars makes me feel rotten as they are all snuggled up & asleep

 

I tried with a roll of chicken wire slotted into the nestbox, they snuck in before me though on so many occasions that I've given up!!

 

Sha x

[sandyhas3chucks]

mine all sleep snuggled I have taken back roosting bars out of the Eglus, they sleep on auboise I poo pick every morning, not a problem. I reckon ex bats should be allowed as much comfort as they like after theor ordeal. I have 2 disabled who would not be avle to roost and many exbats take a really long time to get strong enough to roost !

i dome rubber gloves and take a bag with me. job done in minutes.

easy

[Chicken Shirl]

mine all sleep snuggled I have taken back roosting bars out of the Eglus, they sleep on auboise I poo pick every morning, not a problem. I reckon ex bats should be allowed as much comfort as they like after theor ordeal. I have 2 disabled who would not be avle to roost and many exbats take a really long time to get strong enough to roost !

i dome rubber gloves and take a bag with me. job done in minutes.

easy

 

 

Hurrah!!

[henriette]

I used to let them sleep in the nest box but I really didn't like the sometimes disgustingly dirty eggs. Now, though, there is only one who sleeps in the next box if she can, the others seem to like their new perches in the cube. One little sweetie prefers to perch on the entrance to the door, so I can't close it

We NEVER let animals rule our lives here

[cluckingmad]

I am ashamed to say that we do Suzie the sultan is first in the eglu every evenign, principly to grab her favourfite spot in teh nest box before Etty and Flo can pinch it! Hsaven't the heart to turf her out, she fits so neatly in there while the two big girls roost on the bars

[Chicken Shirl]

I am ashamed to say that we do Suzie the sultan is first in the eglu every evenign, principly to grab her favourfite spot in teh nest box before Etty and Flo can pinch it! Hsaven't the heart to turf her out, she fits so neatly in there while the two big girls roost on the bars

 

What the heck Life's too short.

[henriette]

I think I may have given the wrong impression! When I say we NEVER let the animals rule our lives, that is, of course, meant sarcastically

[chickencam]

Ours newbies sleep in the nest box, mostly in the same one then if it hasn't been cleaned out by the time they want to lay they lay in the other one. The older girls also sleep in the Eglu nest box, it's a case of who is first to bed. We have given up after trying everything and now I line the boxes with a thick layer of wood shavings and scoop the poop each morning with a cat ltter scoop which works quite well.

 

The problem comes when we go away because we usually ask the carer to come in mid afternoon when all laying has been done, so we do get a few grubby eggs then.

 

I am trying a professional pet caring service next week. I hope it works out, she loves chooks but her OH won't let her get any until they have moved to a larger house and garden.

[Chicken Shirl]

I think I may have given the wrong impression! When I say we NEVER let the animals rule our lives, that is, of course, meant sarcastically

 

Thank heavens for that. x

[cluckingmad]

henriette wrote:

I think I may have given the wrong impression! When I say we NEVER let the animals rule our lives, that is, of course, meant sarcastically

 

thought as much I've long since given up any pretence that I own my home anymore - it now belongs to all the animals, I'm just allowed there to feed them all!

[Chicken Shirl]

henriette wrote:

I think I may have given the wrong impression! When I say we NEVER let the animals rule our lives, that is, of course, meant sarcastically

 

thought as much I've long since given up any pretence that I own my home anymore - it now belongs to all the animals, I'm just allowed there to feed them all!

 

 

What a great life we all have. No substitute for it.

[henriette]

Ditto that

Have a good evening everyone

Mx

[docsquid]

Ours have now found the nest box too. There was definitely enough poo in there this morning to have come from more than one chicken, and not much in the poo trays.

 

I had lined it with hemcore and so the poo was nice and dry and easy to scoop out and replace with fresh hemcore. I suspect they are going to sleep exactly where they want!