Chickens weird nesting habits

[Tinkey71]

My 12 chickens have 4 nesting boxes and all decide to lay in the same box! I go throughout the day and find groups of eggs all in the same spot. I added more bedding the others and that didn’t change anything. I guess I don’t mind since I’m getting like 8 eggs a day, but it seems weird- I was worried about having enough boxes, but if their going to all share one!?!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

They are funny! They do that to have a better chance of getting a full clutch and protecting it from predators, and if one does eat some they will get full.

 

[Brahmachicken240]

Hens will lay their eggs in a communal nest in order to accumulate a 'clutch'

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Mine will actually pile in the same nesting box, and lay eggs at the same time. Once there were three chickens, stacked atop each other.

 

[aart]

They like to lay where it is 'safe'.
Eggs in a nest is deemed safe.
Adding fake eggs to other nests will 'fool' them into using all the nests.

 

[Tinkey71]

They like to lay where it is 'safe'.
Eggs in a nest is deemed safe.
Adding fake eggs to other nests will 'fool' them into using all the nests.

I’ll try again- I had two fake eggs in the nest before and they seemed to avoid them or roll them out of the nests

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

I’ll try again- I had two fake eggs in the nest before and they seemed to avoid them or roll them out of the nests

My hens never fell for the fake eggs. They’ll nest in the same box. It’s usually 5 birds to 1 box. The ones that lay might use another box of one is occupied or like @LittleMissCountry said, all pile into the same box. It’s quite hilarious.

 

[Ribh]

Yep, mine all pile in together. They like company ~ even for laying.

 

[Brahmachicken240]

I only leave fake eggs in the nest box to encourage hens to go broody.

 

[aart]

I’ll try again- I had two fake eggs in the nest before and they seemed to avoid them or roll them out of the nests

What kind of fake eggs?
Were they nice and heavy ones....or hollow plastic easter eggs?

I had a pullet once that refused to use a nest with a fakie in it,
after she had been laying a few days it didn't bother her anymore.