Sleeping in the nest boxes

[jaynebxl]

Now this comment has made me think:
"we put the pop-hole down either when we get home or when we remember.
and turf them out of the nest box."

Would be interested to know where your girls sleep.

We have quite a big hen house with a perch that they never use (they regularly use the perches in the run though) and all 6 of our girls sleep at the back of the house where there are 3 nest boxes. They seem to sleep (and poo!) in the middle or left hand box and lay in the right hand box or middle one.

Does this matter? Should we turf them out of the nest box? If so why?!

Thanks.

[littleanne73]

How old are your girls? Chickens will always roost at the highest point, are your boxes above the perches? i came on here last night to talk about Halloween sleepover and end up talking chooks!

[jaynebxl]

Ah littleanne, chooks always worm their way in to conversations! Girls are about 23 weeks. The nest boxes are lower than the perches.

[thereinmadnesslies]

Ours sleep in nest boxes too. We started with ex batts and they didn't know how to perch, then subsequent young hens have copied the oldies. I can't see it is a huge problem ...

[littleanne73]

Don't they just! As other poster says its not a major problem they are still little too. Ours are old girls and some days they just don't perch!

[bubblepop]

ive got one that sleeps on the perch and one that sleeps in the nest box which is on the floor. never thought it really mattered as they are shut in at night.