Chicken bald back

[emmalou]

Our chicken coop is in two sections, roosting and nesting. However there is a door inbetween and we are now needing to open this as Poppy is laying quite early atm. She layed the egg on the roosting bar yesterday morning. Last night we opened up the door between the two rooms and this morning Poppy found the nest and layed an egg. However we want to block off the outside nesting door so they go in via the roosting section which has the automatic door. However I have tried blocking off the outside nesting door and they cannot quite understand how to get in or out of the nest area. I was concerned if they cannot figure out how to get in it may upset their laying pattern? Complicated I know but are they quite intelligent and will work it out in the end? It will be better for the winter as well as we can then just have one door open instead of two.

[Beantree]

Chickens are spacially aware Emmalou. They create a 3D map of their environment, so Poppy will certainly find the nest box after looking for a new route to it. If we shut ours out of the coop they will be seen underneath looking up for a way to that space, or on top trying to get through the lid!

[emmalou]

Yes Poppy found her way to the nest this morning but couldn't make out that she needed to come out the same way she went in. Normally they go in and out via an outside door but now they need to negotiate their roosting section to get outside. The others were confused yesterday when they couldn't get into the nest through the normal door.

[sjp]

it'll take them a little time to figure it out them about a month after you think they've mastered it they'll have a relapse and forget for a day or two which could/will result in a lot of shouting and swearing by at least one of them