Egg Sabotage

[Helen_Jayne]

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone had experience of this? I have two welsummer hens and the biggest one, Popcorn, who is the most dominant hen rolls the other hens eggs out of the nest. This happens regardless of whether Popcorn wants to lay in that nest or not, she will simply roll the other hen's eggs out and then sit down on another nest to lay!
It's sad and frustrating because the eggs sometimes smash and other times you see poor Violet (the other hen) trying to roll her egg back in which is almost impossible because the nest boxes are off the ground.
Also they can all spot fake eggs and roll them out, even though my ten year old thought they were real!
Does anyone else see this happen as I've not heard of it before?

 

[DobieLover]

Can you put a lip on the edge of your nest box to make it more difficult for her to roll them out?

 

[Mosey2003]

Your nests need lips. At least 3", maybe 4" if they're tall enough.

 

[aart]

Does anyone else see this happen as I've not heard of it before?

Have read it but not experienced it.
How old are these birds and how long have they been laying?
Is this new behavior or has she always done this??
New layers can be quite boisterous when 'arranging the nest',
they usually stop doing that once they get used to laying.

Your nests need lips. At least 3", maybe 4" if they're tall enough.

Yes, 3-4" above the nest bedding.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

One of mine would move eggs to a new nesting box, over the lip of the one they were in. I couldn't figure out how she was doing it until I saw her one day. She would tuck the egg under her chin and hold it against her chest, then carry it to the other box. She stopped doing it after a few months. It soon after she started laying.

 

[Helen_Jayne]

Thanks everyone, I know, we do need to remake the nest boxes, to widen the openings and create more of a lip. Things have all changed since the silkie started laying and now they all seem to be sharing a nest behind the shed door! Somehow that seems to have changed the dynamic between the two welsummers.
The birds were all born last year so young and you're right aart, it could be down to nest making but she seems to be more careful with her own eggs!