2 hens in one nesting box at the same time

[momofchicks]

This happens on a regular basis. But, it's not always the same hens. We have 4 nice nesting boxes that are the same size and have the same straw in them. However, most of my hens want to lay in the 1st box. We have gotten eggs from the 2nd and 3rd box as well. Anyway, on several occasions I will find 2 hens in the box at the same time. I don't actually know if both lay while the other is in there I just keep catching them both in there. Has this ever happened to anyone else. We have had up to 5 eggs in one box.

Here is a picture of two hens in the box and two more waiting in line.

 

[mamachickn]

Yes! I have a standard cochin and a bantam silky and they stick very close together. One day I picked up the cochin and the silky was underneath. They were both broody so this went on for quite a while. Now at night they roost together many times the silky is under the cochins wing. These gals are the same age. I do have a total of 13 chickens but am glad they have each other!

 

[Matt A NC]

Quote:
Nope, this is a complete unknown to all other chicken people. You must just have wierd birds.

3 Buff Cochins and a Langshan(all standards). There were 6 other EMPTY nests in the same location.

Matt

 

[AngelzFyre]

Maybe it's a girl thang, kind of like how most women always like going to the restroom when someone else goes too? OR the hens take turns saying push, breathe...pussssssssssssssssh.

 

[thewobsers]

its either a slumber party or a
butt groove thing

 

[ChickaD]

Besides 2 hens sharing the same nesting box (with another waiting in line), sometimes an impatient hen will muscle out a hen from the chosen box and take her place.......oh, the squawking!

 

[shelleyd2008]

i don't collect my eggs for eating so there are usually a few laying around. I collect them about once a week to put in the bator (only have a blue splash dutch laying and a black something atm). i have caught my black hen crowding in with one of my brooders though. The way i fix this is running the intruder out of the nest, and making sure that all the nests have at least one egg in them. it seems to work.

 

[chick4chicks]

Yes mine do this too. I have 2 nesting boxes and a dogloo in their pen, i have had 7 eggs in one nesting box, 2 eggs in the dogloo and 0 eggs in the second nesting box. Go figure. As long as they are happy so am I.

 

[debilorrah]

Considering that I have read here on BYC somehwere that you need 6 boxes for 12 hens, I guess it's pretty common! We have large nesting boxes and the girls have made their own nests at each side of each box. And I have seen two of them in there at once. TOO CUTE!

 

[EggHunter_66]

I have 3 nesting boxes but for some reason the past week my 1 hen that is of laying age is laying in the same box as my duck OR visa versa...lol...It's funny because my hen is a Bantam so her eggs are so much smaller in size!