Chicken yelling

[PastaChickenBoo]

We have two nesting boxes in the coop for six hens. If another chicken is laying eggs in one of the boxes, one of our more picky chickens will refuse to lay in the other nest and screech very loudly. How can we minimize this behavior? It's only shown by this one chicken. Do we need to add more nest boxes?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My experience says... Nope that won't change and they will likely still all want to lay in the SAME box!

Standard pecking order with different personalities. Some birds are more vocal than others.

 

[SueT]

I have been successful adding nest boxes. They especially like 2 plastic milk crates I put in most recently...in fact these are now in high demand, while the old favorites are seldom used. Try putting freshly laid eggs in a new box, and you may be able to tempt them to switch......

 

[50-45-1]

To entice your hens to lay where you want them to put some plastic eggs or golf balls on the nests. I have 6 nest boxes and 3 golf balls in each one.
Some of my hens demand to use a paticular nest and are very vocal if it is occupied by another hen. I think she is saying "HURRY UP ALREADY....ITS MY TURN" totally normal and OK.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

To entice your hens to lay where you want them to put some plastic eggs or golf balls on the nests. I have 6 nest boxes and 3 golf balls in each one.
Some of my hens demand to use a paticular nest and are very vocal if it is occupied by another hen. I think she is saying "HURRY UP ALREADY....ITS MY TURN" totally normal and OK.

The vocal ladies... impatiently waiting their turn is often how I find hidden nests!

I have been successful adding nest boxes. They especially like 2 plastic milk crates I put in most recently...in fact these are now in high demand, while the old favorites are seldom used. Try putting freshly laid eggs in a new box, and you may be able to tempt them to switch......

Good point! Monkey see, chicken do. AND they DO like to prove me wrong... so the OP may have great luck adding new boxes. I had forgotten about how old faithful layers sometimes think the weather is so nice outside they like might like a change of scenery and start making new nest that quickly become occupied. Got stuck in my old habit of thinking chickens are creatures of habit that don't like change.

The chooks seem to think if others deem it safe, it must be a great place to lay.

 

[Peppercorngal]

You may add another nesting box but the problem may persist. I have a barred rock hen that will only use one nest box. If another hen is in it she stands in front of it and talks and clucks and won't stop until the other hen finishes laying and leaves. Then she jumps in and does her thing! I have 25 hens and 18 boxes. She is the only picky girl I have. The others will come in and get in a box that is empty and be happy. You may have a picky girl too! I'd add another box but you may have to get used to it!

 

[PastaChickenBoo]

Hmm. Thanks for all the advice. My parents were thinking about installing a Bluetooth speaker to play music in the coop, as they quiet up when we speak to them, but your advice is better!