PeepOverlord
Chirping
- Mar 4, 2021
- 99
- 195
- 91
I have 8 free range hens, 5 nest boxes and every morning it's Eggstreme Drama until after they lay. The hens have been laying for a month now. I thought the drama would go away. I was wrong.
Karen Delaware Previously laid eggs in my cat's cube bed, on a workbench, on a mini fridge and in a toolbox. But only after complaining loudly, screaming for the manager, flapping, destroying the entire area and shoving everything on the floor becasue HER eggs are *special* and require a *special spot*.
Her latest High Drama - she has now decided she simply must lay Her *special* eggs either on top of, or under, another hen. The other hen is always already in the box, minding her own business, quietly trying to lay her own egg. And of course, Karen being Karen is squawking the whole time, pecking the other hen and demanding to speak to the manager. At least she's using the nest box, right?
Henry-etta Barred Rock (who was the last to start laying) will not lay an egg unless I sit next to her. And wait. Every morning, she follows too closely, tripping me up, mumbling and grumbling louder and louder while I do morning chores, until I sit. She actually tried to lay her first egg *on* me (eeuuww no). If I don't sit for this nonsense, she'll hold it in and stay glued to me until I give in, then she lays a double the next day or the next. I don't dare see how many days she can hold it.
Dommy Barred Rock lays an egg, sits on it for 2-3 hours, then runs to the cat's dish (and will sit there all day long) Silently, patiently, waiting, until she gets a piece of dry cat food as her ? reward? for the egg? I did not teach her that.
Fluffy Barred Rock won't lay an egg unless she can either sit with me or smush herself in with another Barred Rock who's trying to lay in peace. But she's not mean or obnoxious about it like Karen and the other Rocks seem to tolerate it.
However, thanks to bossy obnoxious pecky Karen, my 3 Barred Rocks now insist on laying eggs in the bunkhouse, on a spare bunk, in a 'nest' of old towels/rags. They laid their first couple in there, then started using the nest boxes - but Karen and her unrelenting drama ruined that.
Yes, I tried locking them in the henhouse til they lay - but all they do is fight, throw themselves against the door, and no eggs.
Only my 4 RIR girls are nice, normal chickens. So thankful for them. RIR: wake up, lay egg, announce egg, leave hen house, go forage.
Karen Delaware Previously laid eggs in my cat's cube bed, on a workbench, on a mini fridge and in a toolbox. But only after complaining loudly, screaming for the manager, flapping, destroying the entire area and shoving everything on the floor becasue HER eggs are *special* and require a *special spot*.
Her latest High Drama - she has now decided she simply must lay Her *special* eggs either on top of, or under, another hen. The other hen is always already in the box, minding her own business, quietly trying to lay her own egg. And of course, Karen being Karen is squawking the whole time, pecking the other hen and demanding to speak to the manager. At least she's using the nest box, right?
Henry-etta Barred Rock (who was the last to start laying) will not lay an egg unless I sit next to her. And wait. Every morning, she follows too closely, tripping me up, mumbling and grumbling louder and louder while I do morning chores, until I sit. She actually tried to lay her first egg *on* me (eeuuww no). If I don't sit for this nonsense, she'll hold it in and stay glued to me until I give in, then she lays a double the next day or the next. I don't dare see how many days she can hold it.
Dommy Barred Rock lays an egg, sits on it for 2-3 hours, then runs to the cat's dish (and will sit there all day long) Silently, patiently, waiting, until she gets a piece of dry cat food as her ? reward? for the egg? I did not teach her that.
Fluffy Barred Rock won't lay an egg unless she can either sit with me or smush herself in with another Barred Rock who's trying to lay in peace. But she's not mean or obnoxious about it like Karen and the other Rocks seem to tolerate it.
However, thanks to bossy obnoxious pecky Karen, my 3 Barred Rocks now insist on laying eggs in the bunkhouse, on a spare bunk, in a 'nest' of old towels/rags. They laid their first couple in there, then started using the nest boxes - but Karen and her unrelenting drama ruined that.
Yes, I tried locking them in the henhouse til they lay - but all they do is fight, throw themselves against the door, and no eggs.
Only my 4 RIR girls are nice, normal chickens. So thankful for them. RIR: wake up, lay egg, announce egg, leave hen house, go forage.
some very interesting chickens you have ended up with 
