All laying in the same nest box-crowding/pushing

[jbrown_14105]

Ok I have the 5 hens, all laying fine now, most days 5 hens=5 eggs....however they all want to lay in the same nest box!
The coop has 6 nest boxes, all the same, all filled with nesting materials the same but "the girls" want to all lay their eggs in the same nest box, the far right one, once in a great while the far left one by the door!
So is this also some strange "pecking order" thing?
I open the lid of the nest boxes (all in a row, one cover) and one is laying, another is pushing to get in there (sometimes two are crowded in the same nest box already) where the one hen is already, and another is standing just outside the nest box waiting for the second hen to nest where the first one is already sitting! (all the rest of the nesting box area is empty while this is going on!)
In the end of this there are 5 eggs, all together in the one nest box, once in awhile there is a "nail hole" in one or two eggs, but not to often.
I'm considering moving the eggs, one to each nest box to see if "anyone" notices and gets an idea!
Chicken brains aren't too big ya know!
Any ideas on "chicken psychology".....
Jim Brown
Lockport NY

 

[dogdollar]

Here are my nest boxes, attached to the side of the coop.

Inside are two nest areas, identical in size, both filled with clean hay.
I have nine hens. They only use one of the boxes........and it's not unusual at all for me to find nine eggs in it every day, and no indication that anyone even ENTERED the other box. Go figure.
I have seen two of them in the same box at the same time, and I have seen one hen go in and drag a smaller hen out by her comb so she can get in there to lay her egg.

DD

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know if it is a "She laid there so it must be a good place to lay" thing or "If I lay where she did, maybe she'll hatch my egg so I won't have to"? In any case, it is standard behavior.

I fine that if I put eggs in different nests, it does tend to move the laying around a little.

 

[BethieofVA]

I have six, five laying and laying all in the same box. They wait in line and there are three boxes total.

 

[1newchickontheblock]

I have 9, (6 standard, 3 silkies), and one community nest box. I've seen 2 at a time in there, otherwise they wait their turn

Can you remove partitions or anything, to make one box larger, more community style...? Good luck!

 

[kano]

I have 16 and 4 nest boxes, with fake eggs in every one. They use all. And , yes there are some favorites.

 

[huckleberryfarm]

Me too. I have 16 nest boxes and probably only 3 get used. There will be 6 eggs sitting in there. No idea why. And I definitely will see two or three hens jammed into the same one while all the ones around them are empty. I've wondered about that too!

 

[shuizar209]

Hens like to laywhere there are other eggs. Try putting afew fake eggs in the other unused boxes.

 

[jbrown_14105]

Hello,
Thanks for all the info...figured it must be a "chicken thing" (small brains)
I have tried the fake eggs idea... they couldn't care less.....made no impact at all.
Other than that the "girls" have provided great entertainment for all living on the property.
Though "Barnyard Bert" our barn cat gets very offended when the chickens go in the garage barn where he sleeps & takes his meals...it's "his" house ya know.....it is just "upsetting"
Thanks.
Jim Brown
Lockport NY