Chicken moving eggs from one raised nesting box to another???

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Old post I know but I came to see if this was a thing. I thought I was crazy the first time. But now it happened again. A hen moved the fake egg over to the other nest box requiring her to tuck it in her chest or something. Remarkable. I know this is old news too but I find it funny that while there are four nest boxes, at least five of seven hens all use one and the other two one other. The third and fourth nest boxes just remain unused.
 
UpstateChickenDaddy said:
Old post I know but I came to see if this was a thing. I thought I was crazy the first time. But now it happened again. A hen moved the fake egg over to the other nest box requiring her to tuck it in her chest or something. Remarkable. I know this is old news too but I find it funny that while there are four nest boxes, at least five of seven hens all use one and the other two one other. The third and fourth nest boxes just remain unused.
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One of chicken's mysteries. I think chickens pick some aspect of a nesting box they like (near a window/in the shadows/on the end/in the middle/etc.) and adopt it. Funny story but when I was in college, in the dorm bathroom were 4 stalls. Most guys ALWAYS used the same particular stall that they "adopted" at the start of the semester>:D
 
Possum-Pie said:
Thanks for the quick reply Shadrach. EVERYTHING I read online says it is impossible to do anything except roll with beak/feet but the fact is 3 eggs moved from a nesting box down 14" to the floor, over 14" to the next box, then straight up 14" into the nesting box. I wish I had marked eggs a week ago when they were laid but didn't think about it. I have no camera to set up out there. There must be a less unbelievable explanation!
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My EE moved eggs from a box similar to yours UP 2 feet behind the angled board on top of the boxes. She had 8 multicolored eggs under her up there. I don't know how she did it unless she convinced the other hens to lay in her awkward little spot...crazy!
 
I have not seen them do this myself but my belief is that the hen tucks the egg under her wing to move it. Makes more sense to me than her using her neck and chest, as she needs her neck for balance and leverage jumping up to the nest. It is not unusual for my hens to rearrange the golf balls in their nests, which are about 2.5 feet above the floor, so I know they could move eggs if they wished.
 
I came here to find out if hens could move eggs to a nesting place when broody because I caught one of my hens sitting on 20 eggs (laid by at least two or three of my 8 hens)!
The thing is, I know she hadn't been broody more than a day or two by the time I noticed her because I always count the hens before I put them to bed at night. There was only one night I noticed her missing and it was 2 days before I found her stash. And none of my hens lay anywhere but in the boxes in the coop. My broody hen's nesting spot was on the opposite side of the run from the coop...20 feet away. The coop is also on stilts so they use a ramp to get out into the run. How on earth did my broody hen collect eggs everyday and move them out of the coop, down the ramp and across to the other side of the run to her nesting spot?!
 
Eleos said:
I came here to find out if hens could move eggs to a nesting place when broody because I caught one of my hens sitting on 20 eggs (laid by at least two or three of my 8 hens)!
The thing is, I know she hadn't been broody more than a day or two by the time I noticed her because I always count the hens before I put them to bed at night. There was only one night I noticed her missing and it was 2 days before I found her stash. And none of my hens lay anywhere but in the boxes in the coop. My broody hen's nesting spot was on the opposite side of the run from the coop...20 feet away. The coop is also on stilts so they use a ramp to get out into the run. How on earth did my broody hen collect eggs everyday and move them out of the coop, down the ramp and across to the other side of the run to her nesting spot?!
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Have a look at this.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/do-your-hens-relocate-their-eggs.1663457/
 
Eleos said:
Wow! Thanks for the link. I think I'll post my story over there just for fun. 😁
Glad someone was able to catch it on camera. I wish I could've caught mine in the act but I didn't really think to question how she did it till after I put her in broody jail.
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Yes do post it. I would love to find other stories. Wish I had captured the under-wing approach on video. It may be the most effective for a long distance move!
 

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