What's in a Nest?

Everybody knows that chickens lay their eggs in nests.  A lesser known fact is that chickens will also sleep in their nests if you let them.  Don't get me wrong, the chickens have a lovely roost to sleep on at night that I built for them out of old stairway railing.  However, apparently sleeping in a nest is more comfy than perching on a wooden rod.  Go figure.

Chickens sleeping in their nests doesn't sound like a bad idea until you become aware of the fact that chickens poop while they sleep.  Seriously, they can poop and sleep simultaneously.  What a talent!

Regrettably....

Sleeping in nests + pooping in nests + laying eggs in nests = poop filled nests + poop covered eggs.

Ew.

The solution, you ask?  A nest blocker, of course!  We place the nest blocker in front of the nests at night and then move it to the side in the morning to allow the chickens free access to the nests throughout the day.

This has completely solved our problem of chickens sleeping in the nests with very minimal effort on our part.  Now most chickens sleep on the roosts where they ought to be while a few choose to sleep on the floor with the ducks.  Hey, each to her own.  Who are we to choose the bedfellows of a chicken?!