An Hour in Nest Box?

[CarolynF]

Yes, I'm new to this game

and I only have one hen that is laying, she's the EE in my avatar. Isn't it kind of unusual for a hen to sit in the nest box for an hour (or more) to lay her egg each day??? Do you think it's taking that long to lay the egg, or is she just lounging around afterward? She doesn't cackle until she's back outside if that tells us anything.

Thanks for your comments!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Yup that's pretty normal...mine are in there for a good 45 min or more too. Then once they come out they tell me all about it lol

ETA: The reason I know this is because when my hens first started laying I was bound and determined to SEE an egg laid. I waited and waited AND WAITED until finally I got a chair and waited some more LOLOL FINALLY she laid and it was prob close to an hour later! I no longer wait

HEHE

 

[centrarchid]

Mine lay egg in first 15 minutes of that hour and sit tight for another 45 minutes. If stressed, then it takes longer to push egg out.

 

[silverback]

Mine take about 30 minutes from sitting in the nest to walking proudly out with egg left in the nest. Sometimes it is closer to 45 minutes. The cutest thing is when they pick up pieces of straw and put them on their back during the process- some throwback to their wild origens.
S.

 

[Chulke]

Mine takes nearly an hour just to get the nesting box ready...spinning round and round in it, then kicking back the pine shavings, then more round and round, then pacing a little, then chasing out other hens, and so on and so forth, she really makes it a big to do, funny to watch...lol!

 

[HEChicken]

Only an hour? Seriously, it is highly variable by individual bird. I have two BO's who routinely sit in the nest box for anywhere from 1-4 hours to lay. And I previously had a red star who exited the coop every morning with her legs crossed to hold it in, raced to the nest box, popped out her egg in about 2 minutes flat and then leisurely headed to the food and water to start her day. So yeah - an hour? I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[CarolynF]

What a Hoot, I had no idea!

Too bad I can't see what she's doing in there for that hour it might be a lot more entertaining than I thought! It make a person wonder how several hens manage to share the same box when they are such nest hogs.

Thank you all for your stories, I love this forum I learn something cool every day!!!

 

[sillysparrowness]

It's quite normal that they share a nest, when two hens want to lay their eggs at the same time. They alwyas have the same favourite one or two nests. That's why I built a community nest the last time I gave my coop a makeover. That way, at least there's more space, even if they are still piled up in the same corner... It's such a blast watching them!

 

[duckinnut]

My 4 Barreds take forever,its got to be 45mins at least. And got 1 RIR that takes a while,but my other reds,McDonalds should be so fast! I watched one of RIRs not to long ago,she couldn't have been in there more than ten minutes. I watched her go in, jumps into a box, does two turns,sits down maybe 6/7 mins stands up, I hear plunk,she beaks it around a little then stands there looking at for two mins then jumps down and out the door she goes. June Cleaver she is not.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I have an EE that looks like yours and she loves to hang out in the nest box. An hour easy, sometimes longer. And she loves to roll a golf ball underneath to sit on. I always thought she would end up being a broody but my BO did instead.