Boxing Hens Up

[Harry's Loft]

Hi All

What's everyone's opinion on keeping hens boxed at night to prevent pairing / build a bond with their box?

I've got 16 widowhood cock boxes and want to try letting the cocks have their box on a Friday / Saturday as a reward

But I want to keep the hens in their during the week then deny them their box on the Friday so they want to get back to it if that makes sense

Any advice or thoughts on this?

Cheers

[Rdhd Danny]

Won't do them any harm short term or at night but gotta be short term or they can get depressed and when back in a flock can cause increased aggression in some, however my full yb team is shuttered in daily to increase the drive to return to the box and is very successful but it has to be balanced mate

[Buster121]

Not for me but each to there own

[Devo1956]

This is the reason I had big lofts with different sections. A section for hens when split up, in another loft. The main loft with 16 boxs for the cocks, and in the loft with the hens. I had a section for young birds, and a section for youngsters being weaned off. Less stress on the birds, and with corridors in the loft. Much better for myself, and the lights in sheds helped in the winter.

[Harry's Loft]

Thanks for the replies

I currently fly them celibate both cocks and hens apart from on return on a Saturday when they can be together paired or unpaired

The cocks are usually in the avairy or on their widowhood boxes

The hens are avairy then in a hens section

I've got another 8 hens who won't have a box so I could circulate them around to prevent them getting bored every 4 weeks or so

[chrisroscoe]

I have had my hens locked up in there hen boxes but I wouldn’t personal do it for long length of time.