ValerieR Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Hi all Day 3 of chicken keeping! I have noticed that the 2 pekin bantams Janice and Joyce snuggle up together at night in the nest box while Sheila the teeny tiny serama who is at the bottom of the pecking order (despite the fact she is the only one to have produced an egg! ) perches beside them, not even snuggled in. I feel a bit sorry for her. Someone said I should put something on top of the nest bit to stop them sleeping on it. Is that right? The 3 of them seem so small in that huge eglu! Maybe I should get a silkie to snuggle up with? Good grief it's nearly summer and I am already worrying about them being cold! Am turning into Neurotic Mum Val Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 My pekins sleep in the nesting box.. its fine.. if your other girl gets cold she will snuggle with them. do they get along in the day? i do love pekins, what colour are yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 The only downside to them sleeping in the nest box, is the droppings they leave behind in the morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValerieR Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 Yes Christian the straw is a bit pooey in the morning! Mollie, I have one black one called Joyce who is the boss and a lavender called Janice. I gave Joyce a bath yesterday - she looks even more lovely now with her clean bloomers! I think she quite enjoyed it. That is a beautiful pekin (it is a pekin isn't it?) in your photo. What colour do you call that? Sheila the serama is bottom of the pecking order. Janice ignores her and Joyce gives her the odd wee peck but it is not vicious - more like a clip round the ear! - and she sometimes rushes up to her flapping her wings then stops just short of her and gives her a real stern eye-balling. I should think Sheila would be a bit scared to snuggle up to Joyce! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 I'm a big softie and I've always let my girls sleep in the nestbox - usually just one at a time and they all seem to take turns. And yes, it's a right pain flicking out the poop from the nestbox every morning into the droppings tray. But then I'm opening them up anyway so not a major hardship. Some folk on this forum have had success putting upturned flower pot or footballs in nestbox at night to stop them from sleeping in there. Just have to remember to take it out first thing so you don't have a line of angry pekins waiting to lay...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickyhazel Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Personally, we dislike our chickens sleeping in the nestbox because they poo everywhere and chuck the bedding all over the run! It doesn't harm them, although it can result in extremely pooey bottoms which need regular bathing. We go down after they have gone to bed and turf them out of the nestbox, although Noodle sometimes comes back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicktastic Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 All my 3 sleep in the nesting box of the when it's a bit cold overnight but tend to use the roosting bars when it's a bit warmer. Funny thing is though, they use half for sleeping in (all piled up) and the other half for laying in. I don't think it's much of a problem really, if my girls are happy, then i'm happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 I have 7 * 6 week olds that all sleep in the eglu nesting box at the moment - no one left out! I find as they get older and start laying they tend to stop sleeping in the nesting box - from what you are saying it is your one that is laying that is using the roosting bars, so the non-layers may grow out of it as thet start laying. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaloo Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 My two were a pain during the first few nights...they'd squabble over the nest box each night, yet in the morning were both in it and the bedding was thrown everywhere!! I got fed up with shredded paper all over the place that I left the nest box empty for two nights (they're not laying yet) whilst I changed from paper to straw (as it doesn't blow around as much)....but now they mainly use the roosting bars!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 Sadly, the pekin in my picture was killed by a fox.. her name was deardree, but people used to call her stacey. she was a real dippy chicken, mad as a hat. she was sold to us as ''Lemon Cuckoo'' but we was told she is 'buff' by several people. she was bright yellow when i first got her.. lovely girl. i'd like a lavender pekin, so bad, im getting 2 pekins or silkies soon, though. to live with my other 2 pekins, and plikies. These are some of my chickens that have pekin in them. * notice it was a rainy day, and the girls totally ruind there house. LOL! This is Effy/Ethel. a splash pekin bantam Top from the left.. Betty, rita. Bottom, ethel, stacey\deardree. i love unique colours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValerieR Posted April 15, 2010 Author Share Posted April 15, 2010 Aww Deardree was a beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickyhazel Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 Yes she's gorgeous. Sad to hear she died. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pipschicks Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 letting your little ladies sleep in the nesting box will make her breast feather thin. and will be prone to fatal colds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerlady Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 letting your little ladies sleep in the nesting box will make her breast feather thin. and will be prone to fatal colds Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katek Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I have had my ex-bats 3 weeks now and they told us that they ususlly sleep in the nest box to start with but not to worry as they will usually stop after a while. Clucky, who was bottom of the pecking order until this week, but seems to have come out of her shell was ther snuggled up tonight, she looked so happy and warm I didn't have the heart to move her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerlady Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I control every aspect of my girls lives..what they eat..when they FR..think they should be allowed to sleep in the nest boxes if they want to. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 They make the feathers thin? Well i got mine in the harsh December weather last year. Snow all 'round. They are fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Chickens sleeping directly on bedding may well lose feathers due to getting very warm underneath, they may also go on to develop sore skin (like nappy rash)but this isnt always the case I guess lost feathers may make them feel the cold more but if they are in a draught free coop they should be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
