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[kad8209]

Hello All, I am very new to chicken keeping my 3 beautiful girls only arrived yesterday ( I am already completely smitten) I wonder if anyone could help me with a quick question i've got? They have settled really well and I have already had 2 eggs off of them, but they don't seem to use their perches for sleeping, in fact there is only one thing they do use in their coop - just the one nest box. The coop has three boxes but they only use the one and literally for everything, they all sleep in it, they all poop in it and the two eggs I have had have both been laid in it. It doesn't look like they have even been in the other boxes. Is this ok? Should I just leave them to it? or should I try to deter them from sleeping and pooping in it? Many thanks

[chelsea]

You do find that new chickens take some time to get used to their surroundings or if they are very young they may not perch yet. Some of my older hens have never used the nesting/perching bars and prefer to sleep in the nest. I have not deterred this but if you prefer to encourage them not to sleep in the nest you can put something like an upturned plant pot or football into the nesting area by night.

[Gelbel]

Welcome Kad.

 

Take a look at this one I started about being in the nest box. I've only had my girls 2 months so am a (relative) novice too - but you don't half learn fast.

 

Only thing is you do need to clean the box out 1st thing each day. Rita was crossing her little legs the other morning when I was doing the honours - it takes a few minutes.

 

You might want to 'open' up the nest box a bit to give a bigger area - mine pulled down the divider that gave 2 departments to my nest box.But they still sleep in the smallest huddle possible in one corner. I notice they tend to prowl up and down the box before they settle down to lay.

[Patricia W]

Welcome! I soon gave up with the sleeping in the eglu nest box, but as soon as they moved into the cube they automatically slept on the roosting bars. I think they were babies when they moved into the eglu and so used to sleeping in a heap, but grown up when they moved into the cube.

 

Put a football in the nest box or a plant pot if you really want to stop them but many people seem to be like me and let them get on with it.

 

Tricia

[Patricia W]

ooher - my 1000th post!! How did that happen??

 

Tricia

[chick wiggle]

Hi Kad2809 and welcome to the forum. I agree with everything said before, dont worry they will sort themselves out Just wanted to say hello

And, congratulations on that 1000th post Tricia

[sjp]

put a couple of pot eggs in one of the nest boxes that might help to get them used to laying in one place they all will more than likely lay in the same place my nest box is big enough for 3 to lay in but my 2 layers only lay in one corner one will stand outside screaming at the top of her voice before she'll lower her self to lay elsewere not fun at 6:55am on a monday morning

as for perching you might have to 'teach' them about an hour after they've gone to bed lift them out of the nest box and put them on the perch had to do it with my 3 youngsters luckerly only once (gold legbars fight even when half a sleep and still take 10 mins to catch in the dark)

flower pots do stop them laying in the wrong place had to use them when mine first started to lay

[kad8209]

Hey everyone, thank you for posting your comments so promptly. Am enjoying reading everyone's chicken stories here on the forum. Think will leave my girls to get on with it for now if no one thinks it's a prob and just see what happens. Am sure I will be on here again shortly seeking more words of wisdom.