chicken nest boxes

[sher]

hi all- my hens will not leave the bedding in their nest boxes- the nest boxes are metal, and i try to keep straw in them- the hens just scratch it all out and lay their eggs on the metal - any idea what i might do??

[lateaprildawn]

Hi Sher,

Just a couple of thoughts, Is the front of the nest box high enough ? could they just be accidentally kicking it out whilst making their nest.

Is the straw or nesting material fresh and insect/ mite or tick free ? Hens can be very picky and may spot something they dont like. I used to use a little straw on the bottom with shredded newspaper piled on top.

One other thought is, could the nest box be too hot ? are there enought ventilation gaps to allow a good flow of air. The hens will add or remove nesting materials to get the perfect temperature, If the base of the nest box is metal could it be holding heat too well ?

I would try sticking a thermometer in there for 24 hours and see what the readings are.

Metal nest boxes are a good idea where i live as we do have a lot of damage by rats but we do put in a wood "liner" in the base of the box to keep cold or heat from affecting the nest.

Hope those ideas may help.
Best wishes,
April