Behavior question

[Stephanie R]

I have a 19.5 week old Barred Rock who is just about ready to lay our first egg. She's been squatting, and her face is quite red, plus she's checking out the nest boxes ... wherein lies my question. I have ceramic eggs in the boxes and she's been pushing them around for several days and the last couple of days she's pushed them right out of the boxes (over a 2-3 inch lip). Is she making room for herself, sending me a message she isn't fooled, or something else? Chickens are so interesting.

 

[sourland]

My guess is that she inadvertently knocks them out as she is turning, scratching and 'forming a nest'. You might want to increase the lip size as the same thing may happen with any eggs that are laid.

 

[Stephanie R]

That could be part of it, but I found her a couple of mornings with her head in the nest (and body outside), moving the egg around with her beak. But I think I will raise the lip a bit to prevent any unfortunate egg cracking.

Thanks for your response.

 

[aart]

Raise the lip and also maybe take the fake eggs out of one of the nests.
I had a pullet who did not like fake eggs in the nest at first, she laid on the roost board until I removed fake eggs, then started using the nest regularly.

 

[Stephanie R]

Raise the lip and also maybe take the fake eggs out of one of the nests.
I had a pullet who did not like fake eggs in the nest at first, she laid on the roost board until I removed fake eggs, then started using the nest regularly.

I'm going to do both today when I clean the coop. Thanks.

 

[Blooie]

x2 on aart's comment. I had the same thing. Put wooden eggs in all of the nests when they were ready to lay. One of the girls detested them. Got to the point where I could tell she'd left me an egg by the wooden egg on the floor in front of it. The other girls had no problem with them. So I removed them. Once they figure out nesting the fake eggs aren't necessary anyway. By the way, they can (and will) pull or push fake eggs out even with a higher lip. I thought hubby was stubborn - nothing more stubborn than a determined chicken!

 

[Stephanie R]

x2 on aart's comment. I had the same thing. Put wooden eggs in all of the nests when they were ready to lay. One of the girls detested them. Got to the point where I could tell she'd left me an egg by the wooden egg on the floor in front of it. The other girls had no problem with them. So I removed them. Once they figure out nesting the fake eggs aren't necessary anyway. By the way, they can (and will) pull or push fake eggs out even with a higher lip. I thought hubby was stubborn - nothing more stubborn than a determined chicken!

I got my first egg this morning from my Barred Rock. So I actually did remove the eggs, because she has figured it out and I assume (fingers crossed) that the rest of them will when they're ready to lay.