Latest update: after about a month of perseverance, the chooks appear to have given up attempting to roost in the nest boxes or soil them during the day - certainly for the last couple of weeks, anyway. This could be simply because its been so cold they've all been roosting together in a heap, so it...

Will keep you posted! So far, overnight protection seems to be working (large upright flowerpost which fill the nest boxes), and daytime soiling reduced a bit too. None currently use perching, all preferring the straw bales with shavings on. This includes an upended one which gets 4 birds in the spa...

Thanks for both replies - however, shall persevere with the 'training' for now and see if I can encourage more sociable behaviour! (although not entirely sure who is training who...)!

I've recently introduced some new 20 week old hybrid chooks but am having a devil of a time keeping some of them from roosting in and soiling the existing nest boxes which are at regulation low level etc. There is plenty of perching, straw bales, litter, etc and the house is cleaned out every day - ...