Broken eggs caused by Nest Fighting

[sab]

Looking for thoughts. I have 19 ladies. They have 5 nest boxes. They lay in a couple only and literally try to push the other out of the nest. It’s like gang-laying. They have to lay where the other is trying to lay. I have cameras in my coop and watch them try and push the other out with their feet. Resulting in eggs breaking. And of course they eat that. I get 4-8 sticky eggs as a result. I don’t want to turn them into purposeful egg eaters. Any one know of a solution to this nest crowding/fighting?? I tried assigning them nest boxes but they only gave me this look. See attached.

 

[southwestclucker]

Do you use fake eggs? When my girls start fighting too much over the favored box, I spread out the fakes and it confuses them enough to spread them out a bit.

 

[SueT]

Sometimes I have taken a bunch of their newly laid eggs from the popular box and put them in the box where nobody lays. That often gets some of them to move….

 

[theoldchick]

The only way I solved this problem was to separate the flock into smaller flocks.

 

[sab]

Do you use fake eggs? When my girls start fighting too much over the favored box, I spread out the fakes and it confuses them enough to spread them out a bit.

I do have fake eggs! Great idea!! I’ll give it a try!! Thanks!

 

[sab]

The only way I solved this problem was to separate the flock into smaller flocks.

 

[KyCoop]

I had the same problem. And solved it with the fake eggs. My question is this. Several of the eggs got broken egg all over them, are they still safe to eat if unwashed or should they be washed and refrigerated?

 

[aart]

should they be washed and refrigerated?

Yes.

 

[KyCoop]

Will do. Thank you.