Getting chick to use nesting box

[dinkbradders]

Hi all, we have 4 chicks, now 5 months old (our 5th seabright bantam was sadly squished by a neighbours poodle that broke into our yard, think he was a cock who was protecting the ladies.)

Before my question I firstly want to thank everyone that posts on here because I have gotten them to 5 months with your valuable help from things like poopy butt, oil glands, behaviour issues etc!!!

So great news is that we had 2 eggs in the nesting boxes last week and then 1 egg just sitting on the grass (they are free range), then nothing for a week. Today I heard the most god awful noise and then crowing. I checked for advice on here and sure enough realized Pecker (pecks everything) was laying. I went to get the egg and all 7 eggs are sitting there. I google how many eggs in a day etc but realize she must have gone to the same spot everyday.

Problem one: She is flying over a 6 foot fence into our main garden to do this (and I have clipped her and put up extra chicken wire) and once finished goes and destroys loads of new plants to dig the dirt, this is a problem for all 3 actually.

Problem two: how do we get her/them to use the boxes in the coop to lay?

I guess she is the only one laying so far and wants to get away from the flock for a while. The coop we have only has 2 boxes, which are just open with a partition (similar to https://www.hayneedle.com/product/chickencoopdeluxe.cfm?ltype=child&tid=WIT054-1) and two bars in the main housing and they all sleep in the boxes at night. (3 and 1 or 2 in each) I put sawdust under the bars and straw in the boxes but they usually kick it out and sleep on the hard wood (and poop)

They do seem happy and are well fed, have a large soil pit to bath in and perches around though seem to crave our company and want to come into the garden all the time. So I guess I am asking for ideas to keep them grounded in their area and a way for them to lay in the coop plus if their coop is too small for 4 chickens.

Thx

 

[featherfella]

Hi dinkbradders,

Generally when it comes to chickens and nesting boxes, it is usually 4 chickens to one nesting box. So it seems that you have more than one nesting box, which means that you have the correct number. However, when it comes to chickens laying in the nesting box, I have found that there are several ways to teach them. One way is them seeing other birds sitting in the nesting boxes. Another way is to place fake eggs or even ping pong balls to trick the hens into thinking that that is where they have to lay. As for your chicken Peck, I don't have a solution. If you clipped her wings she really shouldn't be getting of a fence that high. But, you could try clipping both wings if you haven't already.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

You may have to confine them to the pen and coop for a few days until they get the idea.

 

[kanina]

For getting them to lay in the nest, try a golf ball or wooden egg in the nesting boxes. Not a guaranteed fix, but it has worked more for me than it hasn't.

Mine too tend to sleep in their boxes, getting them trained is a nightly struggle to move them around. The boxes get so dirty so quickly. To help in cleanup I'd also suggest small inserts of some kind. I use wash basins I got at the dollar store. The high sides helped get them to stop moving the pine shavings out.

 

[aart]

Welcome to (posting on)BYC!

You coop link didn't work but....most prefab coops are not well designed and do well with some modifications, especially regarding roosting in nests.
Here's my favorite prefab mod:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134399/help-hens-roosting-in-nest-boxes/10#post_17749535

Covering your run will help solve both garden destruction and laying in the coop nests.

 

[dinkbradders]

Thanks guys, just found some ping pong type eggs and a real looking one from our easter box so have put them in the boxes (and will def get some inserts thx). She did follow me in and I shut out the others but she didn't stay for long. I followed the cheeky chick and found a tiny hole she was using to get into the garden and she laid straight back where she used to, in the garden!!!!! I have plugged the hole and the fake eggs are in place (plus I added her own egg from today) though suppose I have to remove them for sleeping tonight.

 

[kitkat5505]

I have a similar looking coop that I use for our 2 rabbits, if yours is the same size then yes 4 chickens would be cramped. The roosts are also usually low and too narrow. If you can I’d get wider roosts and try placing them a bit higher, chickens like roosting high. And I’d try to block off the nesting boxes at night to break the habit of sleeping there and then on the morning unblock them and for a few days keep them confined to the coop until they’ve laid then let them free range.

 

[dinkbradders]

Sorry Coop is the "Extra Large Victorian Teak Barn Chicken Coop" at Home Depot, Will try keeping them locked in tomorrow (have outer enclosed area triple the depth of the coop) to see if it makes a difference. We have the Cali mountain fires going crazy at the mo so at least I know I can catch them quickly should it start coming this way

 

[ChickNanny13]

aart mentioned covering the top of your run, you can use Poultry/Bird Netting which horrible to untangle. I've used it but now using shade cloth, alot easier to work with and lets just enough sun in. Our sun gets pretty intense

 

[kitkat5505]

Sorry Coop is the "Extra Large Victorian Teak Barn Chicken Coop" at Home Depot, Will try keeping them locked in tomorrow (have outer enclosed area triple the depth of the coop) to see if it makes a difference. We have the Cali mountain fires going crazy at the mo so at least I know I can catch them quickly should it start coming this way

That one is slightly small for 4 chickens but since they can free range that helps. I’d still make the modifications to the roosts and block off the nesting area at night until they break the habit. My little coop is the same brand, and the roost it came with is definitely not wide or high enough (luckily I don’t need a roost for rabbits lol).