Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Custard]

Hi, i'm very new to chicken keeping. I have three 7 week old chicks in an Eglu Cube. They seem to be sleeping in the nesting box. Is this a problem? Are they just too little to be on the bars or should I encourage them to sleep there?

[good_egg]

7 weeks - how adorable! You should post some pics. I'm more impressed that they can get up the ladder to the cube. I think when they are little let them sleep in the nest box (a lot of people on here have girls that sleep there all the time). The lady I got mine from said to then block the nest box before they come in to lay and we had to do that when we first got ours - now don't even try to sleep in nest box is purely for eggs! Congratulations on your girls and hope you enjoy them

[Mrs_B]

My girls INSIST on sleeping in their nest box. It's first come first serve with whoever can fit in, gets to sleep there for the night I have tried and tried putting them on the perches gently every night, but they will have none of it. But to be honest, I poop pick the house when I let them out right away so they aren't causing any problems (no poop is then left to come into contact with any eggs laid).

 

At 7 weeks I imagine they all want to stay as chicks and be together too?

 

Hope that helps!

 

x

[dance in the dark]

Actually, I would suggest letting them sleep in the nest box at this point is to be actively encouraged. Since the plastic roosting bars aren't really designed for young birds, it can give them a bent sternum is they go on them too early.

 

Wooden single roosting bars are fine at this age, but if you are using the plastic bars, then the nest is the best place for them. If them nest gets messy its nott too much of a problem since there is no chance of them laying in the next three months, I would wait until they are about 14 weeks old till you start getting a bit stricter.

 

Tim

[Custard]

Thank you everyone for your advice, much appreciated.