Community Nest Box

[catdaddy66]

I have 12 hens that are starting to increase their rate of lay now as the days lengthen (and maybe due to the red and cayenne pepper I sprinkle in the feed). I know that most hens prefer lower nest boxes to lay in, but in the last month my hens prefer the top 2 of 6 boxes they have. Today I checked eggs and found all 5 (!) in the top right box!

Why would all the layers pick ONE box to lay in and why is it the highest one? No problem here but I am curious about the behavior.

upper left in this pic!

 

[cpegram]

I had nest boxes lower and the hens decided to pop a hole in the bag of pine shavings and they all layed there which was on a high shelf....sooooo we went ahead and put 4 nest boxes they mostly use only 2 of them....and i have 18 hens currently 15 are laying.....they will pick where they like it i guess!!

 

[ARose4Heaven]

Not an expert here, but I think it has something to do with protecting their eggs from predators. They think that if it is up high, the bad guy can't get it. Or may be just the opposite, they are trying to keep you from having to bend over?

Anyway, putting them all in one box has to do with the "monkey-see-monkey-do" thing. "If SHE can lay in that box, so can I!" most hens do this... they chose 1 or two nests, and all drop in the same place.

 

[Nostalchic]

I love it that you're asking "why"... as if we could ever understand this chicken-logic! However, mine also prefer the upper right-sided nest, though in second place is the lower left sided nest. Hmmmm...

 

[catdaddy66]

As Arsenio Hall would say: These are things that make you go "Hmmmmm....." !