Nest Box Naughties

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

I have two hens that I lovingly refer to as my nest box naughties. These two hens will walk back and forth in front of the nest boxes and if they don't want one of the girls in there....they are down right vicious!!! They will grab them by their combs and literally pull them out of the nest boxes.

Does anyone know why they do this and is there a way to stop it? It's not a matter of not enough boxes because I have 10 boxes for 40 layers and I have never seen them all full at the same time.

 

[rebeccakeesee]

HA HA HA. Chickens are so funny! I have no answer but I love your post. When one of my hens gets bad behavior(such as pecking the kids in the face) I get rid of them. I would try to give um a lil time out for a few days see if they get a better attitude. Good Luck. And you should film this and put it online. It has to be very funny.

 

[GuineaMama]

I'd be interested in knowing an answer to the original post too. I have 2 RIRs that will do the same thing ESPECIALLY if a Silkie is in the nest. They aren't quite so bad with the other bigger hens but they are brutal to the little Silkie hens.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I'm guessing the hen doing the pulling is a more dominant hen, the one being pulled more submissive. As for the reason, who knows what goes on inside their tiny chicken brains. Perhaps the more dominant hen broke bad to prove/reinforce her dominance. Or maybe she wanted the box because the other hen had already deemed it a suitable place to put her egg. Or both. Flock dynamics are interesting to say the least, theres never any shortage of drama!

 

[mariel37]

I would assume it's an act of territorial dominance.

My dogs do this. One will lay about three feet from the food bowl. Just lay there, and I can just "see" her daring the others to cross this line.

Another dog will just flat out lay across the doorway to the food room.

I always have to shoo them away to stop this behavior ...

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

The crazy thing is...they don't want the nest box. They just march back and forth like little nazi's checking everyone out and if they don't want you there then by dammed you're not going to be there. I used to just be the one RIR hen and now one of my BO hens is in on the action. I have a feeling some birds are going to be going on Craigs List pretty soon.

 

[Cebarmlds]

I have a hen that will do the same thing, she looks like a drill sargent! the thing is the old crab doesn't lay anymore and I've wondered if she is jealous.

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

My girls are a year old so I think they are laying. They do look like little drill Sargents!!