Young Hens Hanging Out in Nesting Boxes

[kschickenlady]

Hi fellow chicken enthusiasts! I have visited this page for the last couple of months to read and learn, and I finally decided to officially join and help answer questions! I'm also having an ongoing issue with my girls that I'd appreciate advice on.

My girls are 19 weeks old and 2 have very recently started laying. They've been outdoors in their coop for the last 10 weeks or so and have adapted well. They spend most of the day in the coop and fully enclosed run, and we let them out for a few hours each evening to roam around the yard when my husband and I are home to keep an eye on them - we live in a rural area so stray dogs, hawks, wandering into the road, etc are the primary reason they aren't free ranging all day every day.
Anyways, when they first moved to the coop they developed a habit of sleeping in the nesting boxes. After trying everything else, we finally boarded them up for a couple of weeks until everyone was reliably roosting. Now, the boxes are available as several are laying and they are still reliably all roosting each night. BUT they have developed an annoying habit of just "hanging out" in the boxes during the day. It's really becoming a problem because they are getting the straw dirty quickly and I really don't want dirty eggs

What can I do to break them of this habit? Clearly, it isn't an issue when they are free ranging as they love to be out in the yard - but during the daytime, they are spending a lot of time just sitting inside in the boxes and making a mess. What can I do to a) get them outside more and b) break this habit so my boxes stay clean?

Other info that may be helpful: I can't remove the nesting boxes, my husband built our coop and it's the kind where the boxes are built into the side. Also, I don't believe anything traumatic has happened that they don't like being in the run - but as the summer has warmed up, I have wondered if they don't like to be out in the heat/more direct sun? When they are free ranging they love to congregate under one of my big lilac bushes. Their food and water are both located inside the coop. Not sure if this is relevant, but I have 8 hens and a rooster. The hens are the guilty parties when it comes to hanging out in the boxes.

Any advice would be helpful! These are my first hens since the flock my parents had when I was a teenager, so I'm relearning/remembering their quirks as I go!

 

[RojoMarz]

Pics of the run would be helpful. Do they have shade in the run? Is there stuff in the run (ie. places to perch, dust bath, etc)? Could they be hiding from the rooster? Maybe move the food & water to the run, so they have to go outside some.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of the coop would help too, nest boxes as well as the rest of the space.

Also, x2 the pullets hiding from the cockerel, it's a more common problem than you think. If they don't want his advances they'll resort to hiding to escape from him. The fact that they're choosing to be indoors instead of out is pretty telling, as most chickens opt to spend most of their time outside.

 

[kschickenlady]

Okay, here’s a picture of my run. I’ll have to take some inside pictures this evening if the interior of the nest boxes is important. They are on the side of the coop visible in this picture, with little access lid above.

Do you think more enrichment items in the run would get them outside more? They LOVE to be out exploring and free ranging, so I’m worried their indoorsy behavior has something to do with a dislike of the run. At first I wondered if it was because of direct sun during the day, but today is pretty overcast and they are still indoors.

Hiding from the rooster is a possibility but I’m not sure how likely it is since he also hangs out indoors with them? And they have no issue being with him when they’re free ranging. Of course they are sometimes not interested in his advances, but as far as roosters go, he’s a pretty laid back guy and seems to take good care of them for the most part.

 

[rosemarythyme]

View attachment 3557627
Okay, here’s a picture of my run. I’ll have to take some inside pictures this evening if the interior of the nest boxes is important. They are on the side of the coop visible in this picture, with little access lid above.

Do you think more enrichment items in the run would get them outside more? They LOVE to be out exploring and free ranging, so I’m worried their indoorsy behavior has something to do with a dislike of the run. At first I wondered if it was because of direct sun during the day, but today is pretty overcast and they are still indoors.

I was going to ask about the sun since I don't see any shade overhead, but you addressed that.

Do you have measurements for the run? As far as I can see it's a pretty barren space and looks narrow as well (which is why I asked for measurements) - and if that's the case any pecking order issues might be magnified, because bored birds may pick on each other more and there's nowhere for them to go to get away from each other. Do you know if the birds inside are lower on the pecking order?

Hiding from the rooster is a possibility but I’m not sure how likely it is since he also hangs out indoors with them? And they have no issue being with him when they’re free ranging. Of course they are sometimes not interested in his advances, but as far as roosters go, he’s a pretty laid back guy and seems to take good care of them for the most part.

That's good to hear. Maybe if he's staying in, they're choosing to stay in with him if they actually like him?

 

[RojoMarz]

I'd add stuff to the run, like something for them to perch on...chair, ladder, homemade perch, etc

 

[kschickenlady]

I was going to ask about the sun since I don't see any shade overhead, but you addressed that.

Do you have measurements for the run? As far as I can see it's a pretty barren space and looks narrow as well (which is why I asked for measurements) - and if that's the case any pecking order issues might be magnified, because bored birds may pick on each other more and there's nowhere for them to go to get away from each other. Do you know if the birds inside are lower on the pecking order?

That's good to hear. Maybe if he's staying in, they're choosing to stay in with him if they actually like him?

The run is 4.5 x 15. It's definitely a little smaller than I'd like and I have plans to expand this fall (unless it's an emergent issue to expand and try to get them outside). They are pretty hit or miss - they are all out, or all in. Rarely do a few go outside without the others. Sometimes the rooster will go out alone and strut around, but only for a few minutes and then he goes back in with his women
I haven't noticed any major pecking order issues. Honestly, they get along so well I probably couldn't even tell you who is on the bottom. They seem to generally like each other?

I tried covering the run today with a spare piece of plywood to see if more shade got them out and about more, with no luck. I attached some pictures of their nesting boxes and the inside of the coop where they just hang out. I'm wondering if the nesting boxes aren't "private" enough for them to feel like that is a special place for laying? Though my two that are laying ( !) have picked one box to consistently lay in.

Tomorrow I'm going to try moving the food and some other enrichment items outside to see if that will entice them out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The run is 4.5 x 15. It's definitely a little smaller than I'd like and I have plans to expand this fall (unless it's an emergent issue to expand and try to get them outside). They are pretty hit or miss - they are all out, or all in. Rarely do a few go outside without the others. Sometimes the rooster will go out alone and strut around, but only for a few minutes and then he goes back in with his women

I'm wondering if the nesting boxes aren't "private" enough for them to feel like that is a special place for laying? Though my two that are laying ( !) have picked one box to consistently lay in.

Yeah I think it would help to enlarge the run, like I'd aim to triple the width and that'd give you a very good amount of floor space for the number of birds. It's mainly the narrowness (and the lower height) that makes it hard to add clutter for enrichment and interest. Take a look at this thread for ideas on how to junk up a run: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140

Nests look ok, if the issue was they weren't laying in them then I'd suggest a lid or something over the top to add privacy but doesn't sound like that's an issue.

 

[kschickenlady]

Yeah I think it would help to enlarge the run, like I'd aim to triple the width and that'd give you a very good amount of floor space for the number of birds. It's mainly the narrowness (and the lower height) that makes it hard to add clutter for enrichment and interest. Take a look at this thread for ideas on how to junk up a run: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140

Nests look ok, if the issue was they weren't laying in them then I'd suggest a lid or something over the top to add privacy but doesn't sound like that's an issue.

Thank you for the link! That gave me a lot of ideas. I added some enrichment items for them for now, and in the meantime have been giving them substantially more free range time to try and get them out and about. I plan to expand the run to a much bigger area of our yard once my hubs has a chance to help with the build
I've still busted a few hanging out in the boxes a time or two, including the rooster, but the boxes seem to be staying much cleaner overall with the added free range time. I think it might just be an uphill battle until they all start laying and get a better idea of what the boxes and straw are for

 

[Molinarohomestead]

Hi fellow chicken enthusiasts! I have visited this page for the last couple of months to read and learn, and I finally decided to officially join and help answer questions! I'm also having an ongoing issue with my girls that I'd appreciate advice on.

My girls are 19 weeks old and 2 have very recently started laying. They've been outdoors in their coop for the last 10 weeks or so and have adapted well. They spend most of the day in the coop and fully enclosed run, and we let them out for a few hours each evening to roam around the yard when my husband and I are home to keep an eye on them - we live in a rural area so stray dogs, hawks, wandering into the road, etc are the primary reason they aren't free ranging all day every day.
Anyways, when they first moved to the coop they developed a habit of sleeping in the nesting boxes. After trying everything else, we finally boarded them up for a couple of weeks until everyone was reliably roosting. Now, the boxes are available as several are laying and they are still reliably all roosting each night. BUT they have developed an annoying habit of just "hanging out" in the boxes during the day. It's really becoming a problem because they are getting the straw dirty quickly and I really don't want dirty eggs

What can I do to break them of this habit? Clearly, it isn't an issue when they are free ranging as they love to be out in the yard - but during the daytime, they are spending a lot of time just sitting inside in the boxes and making a mess. What can I do to a) get them outside more and b) break this habit so my boxes stay clean?

Other info that may be helpful: I can't remove the nesting boxes, my husband built our coop and it's the kind where the boxes are built into the side. Also, I don't believe anything traumatic has happened that they don't like being in the run - but as the summer has warmed up, I have wondered if they don't like to be out in the heat/more direct sun? When they are free ranging they love to congregate under one of my big lilac bushes. Their food and water are both located inside the coop. Not sure if this is relevant, but I have 8 hens and a rooster. The hens are the guilty parties when it comes to hanging out in the boxes.

Any advice would be helpful! These are my first hens since the flock my parents had when I was a teenager, so I'm relearning/remembering their quirks as I go!

Mine were doing this as mine also slept piled together in nesting boxes. I ended up taking out the normal bedding material they are used to (shavings) out of nesting boxes and I got these straw nesting pads w Herbs in them. I placed a plastic egg on top of each one. They haven't slept in it since and they are clean as can be and today I got my first egg in the box!! It worked! I am so happy. Mine are 19 weeks tomorrow, and I hv Easter eggers