Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Moving Straw  (Read 3620 times)

greenfingers

  • Joined Jul 2008
  • Grange by Keith, Banffshire
Moving Straw
« on: September 06, 2008, 08:03:20 pm »
Hi,
Can anyone tell me why my chickens have suddenly started to take all the straw from the nesting boxes onto the floor of the shed.  I have cleaned it out again today and within a few minutes they were in there taking the straw out of the boxes.  I put clean sawdust on the floor of the shed and fresh straw in the boxes, I did the same last week and the same thing has hapened this week.  I also put a bundle of straw on the floor for Betty to sleep on with her babies but they still put all the other straw out.  Why is this??? ??? ???
Am I doing something wrong.
ELaine
Elaine

Always look on the bright side of life, de dum, de dum de dum, de dum!!

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Moving Straw
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2008, 08:26:05 am »
How interesting! No idea why they would do this. The straw's not mouldy or anything?

greenfingers

  • Joined Jul 2008
  • Grange by Keith, Banffshire
Re: Moving Straw
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2008, 03:56:45 pm »
No the straw is fresh and clean and does not smell.  What happens if the start to nest, I assume that they will use the straw on the floor to lay in and not the luxury nesting boxes my hubby made for them.
Elaine

Always look on the bright side of life, de dum, de dum de dum, de dum!!

neilrobinson

  • Joined Apr 2008
  • staffordshire
Re: Moving Straw
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2008, 09:25:32 pm »
sorry i cant think wht they would do that either
light travels faster than sound , thats why some people appear bright until you hear them speak .

Tweedle

  • Joined Jul 2008
  • GMT -5
  • Callender Farms
    • Callender Farms, New Hampshire
Re: Moving Straw
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2008, 04:39:43 pm »
I had a problem with my hens cleaning out there nest boxes as well, and couldn't figure out why. My grandfather stopped by on night and fixed the problem for me. He raised the boxes up (as I had them on the floor as well) about 12 inches, and put a small lip on the bottom and a shade over the top to make it dark in there. He also put a wooden egg in each nesting box. They finally figured it out and have left them alone since then and I haven’t had the problem since. I'm not sure what the problem was as we changed all of those things at the same time, but it worked.
"I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals."  -Winston Churchill-

http://www.callenderfarm.com

hexhammeasure

  • Joined Jun 2008
    • golocal food
    • Facebook
Re: Moving Straw
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2008, 01:01:24 am »
Tweedle's response finally turned on the light for me - I always wondered why my old boss insisted on having the nest boxes raised about 12 inches with lip and roof; hens do like to roost up a height and the shade obviously makes them fel secure enough to lay

hopefully tweedle's tips will work
Ian

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS