Rooster and her first egg. Strangest behavior I have ever witnessed.

[henpeckedmuch]

I watched this behavior for over an hour. One of my heritage RIR hens was about to lay her first egg. She was complaining loudly and going in and out of the coop and in general acting discombobulated. My young rooster (Henry) was anxious and acting troubled because of the hen's actions. He also was going in and out of the coop. Finally after about an hour Henry went into the nest and started to make the same noise he makes when he has found a treat for one of the hens. The young hen went into the nest with him, and after a few minutes Henry quitely got out, but the hen left the nest shortl after. The rooster went into the next nest and did the same thing again with the same results. They played musical chairs (nests) for about 20 more minutes until finally Henry stood in the entrance way to the nest and wouldn't allow her to get out of the nest until she laid her egg. When she had finished both of them started what sounded like the egg song. Henry looked into the nest and came out immediatly with her following.
This is the strangest behavior I've ever witnessed with my chickens. I'm just so very glad I was able to witness the whole thing.

 

[Gargoyle]

Thanks for the story. Henry sounds great, he was trying to teach her what to do. Sounds like he really tries to take care of his girls.

 

[azygous]

When my very first rooster, SLW, Stan was only about a year old, he would do that - get into the nesting box, fluff up the wood shavings until a hen decided it was time to lay an egg and climb in.

But Stan would over-do it, continuing to fuss and fluff until the hen, tired of too much "togetherness", climbed into another nest and laid her egg.

From what I've read, this is the behavior of a good roo who is serious about propagating his flock.

 

[GhostRider65]

When my very first rooster, SLW, Stan was only about a year old, he would do that - get into the nesting box, fluff up the wood shavings until a hen decided it was time to lay an egg and climb in.

But Stan would over-do it, continuing to fuss and fluff until the hen, tired of too much "togetherness", climbed into another nest and laid her egg.

From what I've read, this is the behavior of a good roo who is serious about propagating his flock.

Well thats ghreat to know because I have been laughing my butt off at my Rooster GrayBeard for months thinking he or I was nutts............ because he does this all the time I was wondering for a while there if he really was a rooster and was almost expecting him to lay darn egg..........LOL glad to know I don't have the only crazy wonderful roaster. Kim

 

[immyjay54]

Well thats ghreat to know because I have been laughing my butt off at my Rooster GrayBeard for months thinking he or I was nutts............ because he does this all the time I was wondering for a while there if he really was a rooster and was almost expecting him to lay darn egg..........LOL glad to know I don't have the only crazy wonderful roaster. Kim

I have a Black Copper Marans in with my layer flock and he does this all the time. The first time I saw him, I just had walked in the coop and he was in one of the nests stirring up the shavings and I just laughed saying what are you doing in there boy, are you going to lay an egg? He jumped down and a hen went in. Now almost every day I see him up on the perch that goes in the nests.
I have another pen and every morning the shavings in the nests are always freshened up so the guys in there must be doing the same thing. Never really paid any attention to it. lol
This is all so funny but I loved reading about these guys. Thanks everyone for your stories.
Jim