Chicken behaviors

[ange]

This morning I went out to the hen house to feed and water, and when I did I HEARD loud crackling noises from both hens rir and one was getting on and off tghe nest box and the other hen was on and fidgety, both cackling, seemed unsettled. Why?

 

[Noble Rooster]

Sounds like they were deciding which nest box to use to lay their eggs? Mine will make all sorts of sounds and strut up and down the nest box perch, climb in and out of nest boxes, hop down onto the coop floor and back, etc. before settling in to lay.

 

[rancher hicks]

It seems some of my hens have a favorite nest box and if someone else is in there they raise a ruckess. I have six boxes. One has a broody and the others all have fake eggs, yet I will find most or all eggs in one or two boxes. It all depends on when they have to lay their eggs. Sometimes I think they get in a nest box, snoop around and then decide to move to another to lay the egg. I have no idea why.

 

[ange]

Thanlks fornthenreplies. , it sounds exactly what they did. BOY what personalities

 

[InsaneBreeder]

My hens and roosters cackle and make a racket whenever a hen lays an egg and steps out of the box. They also do it whenever something startles them -- like a loud noise.