shakespearehens Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 I have a bit of a problem with one of my girls. Since spending a period of time on her own, she has taken to sleeping in the nesting box. This now means quite a large pile of droppings in the morning into which she lays first thing before we get up. Any ideas on how to stop her doing this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 The usual recommendation is to put a football or plant pot in the nesting box overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ophelia Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 I only got my 4 ex-bats on saturday and two of them are sleeping in the nest box too. They look very cosy but are leaving droppings in there too. When should I put the football in? Would any of them want to lay an egg in the night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 They tend not to lay eggs at night, but might get the urge in the early morning. More of an issue in the Summer tbh. Best set your alarm for 5.30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakespearehens Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 Egluntine, Thanks for the tip. I might instruct my husband to get up before first light to remove the football. Mmm, my marriage may suffer but my eggs will be clean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanTheDiver Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Some of mine have always slept in the nest, I have just got used to the idea that I need to feed, water and poo pick the nest in the mornings It never takes that long really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarahsausage Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Aaah, i can't see the problem of letting them sleep where they want, how would you like it if someone put a huge ball in your bed and made you sleep elsewhere! My two girls always sleep in the nest box so I just clean out the poop each morning, only takes a few seconds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 If you put Hemcore in the nest box it really only takes a minute to de-poo as it is all nice and dry and non-smelly and easy to pick. I block off the hole at the bottom of the Cube nest box with a bit of cardboard (changed periodically) to keep the Hemcore in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Ginger sleeps on the nest. You can move her gently off through the hatch. she will usualy stay on the bars but not allways.But I just put on a pair of rubber gloves and clean the poo out, the bedding is changed every other day any way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cats and Chickens Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Mine were sleeping in the nest box at first and we were taking them out and putting them on their perch every evening but after a couple of weeks of perching them every evening I gave up. Then last week when I came home form work after dark I checked in the nest boxes and they weren't there. Panic set in and I was running up and down the run with a torch looking for them but actually they were all three perched and asleep. They have just perched every night since. Clever girls- and no poo picking every morning just nice clean eggs. So it is possible that they will just sort themselves out with time. Mine started perching about a week after starting to lay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forge Cottage Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Some time ago we first tried moving the birds aside each night, but it was a losing battle. Then we put a large flower pot in the nest box to discourage the phantom logger. But in the morning found a large poo centred on the top of the flower pot... She must have been wedged against the ceiling! So we gave up banning sleepovers. As chief poo picker, I now pop the lumps through the bars into the tray to deal with later - and clear the nest box for clean laying. We use wood chip bedding which absorbs moisture. No major dramas. I know kids need boundaries, but it would take too long to train my Chickedees!! I understood that chickens prefer to roost higher than their surroundings. Ours often perch on the edge of the nesting box, not often on the bars. Some of the poo might actually come from a percher with her bottom overhanging the nest box. Maybe if the bars were higher, they would not consider sleeping in the nestbox or perching on the edge. I have not seen the new design eglu inside. Does it have higher bars?? (I must get out more...!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickiepiggies Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 i have a cube and 3 out of 4 chickies sleep in the nest box i have seen all 4 of them squashed in there to they look so cute and cosy i don't want to move them, i use ambiose in the next box and it stays nice and dry and fresh. i poo pick in the morning in the dark! they have a nice big cube but all seem to want to squash into the nest box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligg Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 One of mine always sleeps in the nest box,it doesnt take long to poo pick in the morning and my thought is at least she is happy. Alli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakespearehens Posted November 28, 2009 Author Share Posted November 28, 2009 It's interesting and reassuring that when you have an issue, there are so many other people out there experiencing the same things! I have been putting in a football (feel a little guilty) - my husband did make the point about how would I like a footabll in my bed, but it is lovely to get a clean egg from a poo free box. Only thing is the first egg of the day is on the roosting bars as Henny lays regular as clockwork at first light. I might give it a while and see if they are sleep trained by taking it out. It's a bit like Gina Ford for hens! I'm not too good at sleep training as three years is the average age I seem to get the children out of the bed - mind you I haven't tried a football...yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
