Chicken insisting on laying in nesting box already occupied

[madlaina]

Today we watched one of our chickens get very agitated around laying time. She was going in and out of the house, constantly complaining loudly, would briefly settle in one of the two nesting boxes, but then leave again. she clearly needed to lay, but something was stopping her. The problem? One of the two nesting boxes was occupied - and apparently that was the one she wanted.
Eventually, she couldn't hold it any longer, so she found a creative solution - she climbed top of the chicken already in 'her' box and layed the egg behind said chicken.

 

[BlueBaby]

Today we watched one of our chickens get very agitated around laying time. She was going in and out of the house, constantly complaining loudly, would briefly settle in one of the two nesting boxes, but then leave again. she clearly needed to lay, but something was stopping her. The problem? One of the two nesting boxes was occupied - and apparently that was the one she wanted.
Eventually, she couldn't hold it any longer, so she found a creative solution - she climbed top of the chicken already in 'her' box and layed the egg behind said chicken.

Hen's will do that all the time. You can have 6 nesting boxes, and everyone has to lay in just the one box. I had 3 hen's all in the same box at the same time trying to lay an egg once before.

 

[Shadrach]

Today we watched one of our chickens get very agitated around laying time. She was going in and out of the house, constantly complaining loudly, would briefly settle in one of the two nesting boxes, but then leave again. she clearly needed to lay, but something was stopping her. The problem? One of the two nesting boxes was occupied - and apparently that was the one she wanted.
Eventually, she couldn't hold it any longer, so she found a creative solution - she climbed top of the chicken already in 'her' box and layed the egg behind said chicken.

That's normal here.

 

[Kfults]

Here is one of my pullets wanting her usual box and it seems she is saying” are you done yet?” She ended up settling in the box she was standing in and laying her egg

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Yesterday, one of my new layers was in the nesting box, and she takes awhile. Two of the others were loudly complaining and standing over her. One climbed in with her and lay down almost on top of her.

 

[snow5164]

Do they use those boxes all the time ? I’m surprised they use such open nesting boxes , they like a quiet ,dark spot to lay ( why most use curtains), so if you aren’t getting as many eggs in there as you’d like ... I’d change that set up !

If it’s working ? That’s good

 

[Kfults]

Do they use those boxes all the time ? I’m surprised they use such open nesting boxes , they like a quiet ,dark spot to lay ( why most use curtains), so if you aren’t getting as many eggs in there as you’d like ... I’d change that set up !

If it’s working ? That’s good

They are working. I only have 2 our of 11 pullets who are laying so far.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do they use those boxes all the time ? I’m surprised they use such open nesting boxes , they like a quiet ,dark spot to lay ( why most use curtains), so if you aren’t getting as many eggs in there as you’d like ... I’d change that set up !

If it’s working ? That’s good

Probably varies by flock. I added ventilation/openings for daylight on 3 sides to my old box, and no problems getting them to lay in there. My new boxes are pretty typical looking (slanted top, otherwise just a wood cube), no curtains, and no issues getting the girls in there either.

 

[snow5164]

Well they have to lay , it’s going to happen if they have to do it on the floor. I’m just saying if you research nesting boxes they usually have a top and are in a quiet spot ,

They’ll lay them on the driveway ,
But that’s not the point .. a chickens a chicken no matter where it lives

 

[Melissacoop]

How do you know when they are ready to start laying?
My girls are about 9-10 weeks old so I know I have a few more weeks but we have the nesting box closed so they wouldn’t get used to sleeping in there. When should I open it up?