fighting over same egg laying box

[Yarytza]

Does anyone have issues from your hens making loud noises n stalking the hen that is inside their egg laying box?

I have this issue daily. I placed different boxes already and don’t know what to do. They want the same one at the same time.

 

[Greta A]

Yes it is a thing I usually have a line for one box Sometimes two at a time in the favorite b

 

[Yarytza]

Yes it is a thing I usually have a line for one box Sometimes two at a time in the favorite b

Thank you.

 

[FrostRanger]

Totally normal, hens want to lay in the same spot 'cause in the wild it's easier to keep everyone's eggs safe and warm if they're together, so once someone finds a safe place to lay eggs everyone else will lay there too. I'd just make sure there are multiple nest boxes with fake eggs in them (pick a color that none of your girls lay so you don't accidentally collect the fakes. Otherwise I'd let them sort it out themselves, it's normal chicken drama

 

[Yarytza]

Totally normal, hens want to lay in the same spot 'cause in the wild it's easier to keep everyone's eggs safe and warm if they're together, so once someone finds a safe place to lay eggs everyone else will lay there too. I'd just make sure there are multiple nest boxes with fake eggs in them (pick a color that

Totally normal, hens want to lay in the same spot 'cause in the wild it's easier to keep everyone's eggs safe and warm if they're together, so once someone finds a safe place to lay eggs everyone else will lay there too. I'd just make sure there are multiple nest boxes with fake eggs in them (pick a color that none of your girls lay so you don't accidentally collect the fakes. Otherwise I'd let them sort it out themselves, it's normal chicken drama

thanks for the info. I feel much better. Phew! i tought it was me lol

 

[aart]

How many nests and how many layers?
Are all the nests the same size and shape?
How long have your birds been laying?

A fake egg in each nest can help for sure.
You just mark the fake eggs with a sharpie so you don't try to gather them.

 

[Yarytza]

Four nesting boxes. All different sizes. From super big box, medium box, and believe it or not a cotsco Costco egg carton which gives them more privacy. The egg carton is where they all fight to lay theirs eggs.

I have five hens that lay

 

[aart]

Four nesting boxes. All different sizes. From super big box, medium box, and believe it or not a cotsco Costco egg carton which gives them more privacy. The egg carton is where they all fight to lay theirs eggs.

I have five hens that lay

Got pics?

Having nests the same would reduce the favoritism.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You can get all kinds of drama from the hens. My nests are 16' x 16" x 16". It is pretty normal to see three hens in one box laying together with all the other nests empty. No real drama there. I saw a hen go up to a nest she wanted to lay in and grab a pullet that was in there laying by the head and jerk her out so she could have it to herself. I've had a hen that would go on a nest to lay and stay there three hours laying her egg. She would not allow any other hen in that nest until she left. Some hens pace while waiting for a hen to finish so they can go onto a certain nest, even with other nests empty.

When I collect eggs at the end of the day I often find most of the eggs in one box. Another nest may have only two while a third nest may only have one egg. I put a golf ball in each nest as a fake egg. Some hens like to lay all together but others are happy not to. The favorite nest can vary over time. One seems to be the favorite for a few weeks and then another one becomes the favorite.

As long as no harm is being done I don't worry about micromanaging them. As long as they lay in one of my nest I don't care which nest it is. I just let them be chickens.

 

[Yarytza]

You can get all kinds of drama from the hens. My nests are 16' x 16" x 16". It is pretty normal to see three hens in one box laying together with all the other nests empty. No real drama there. I saw a hen go up to a nest she wanted to lay in and grab a pullet that was in there laying by the head and jerk her out so she could have it to herself. I've had a hen that would go on a nest to lay and stay there three hours laying her egg. She would not allow any other hen in that nest until she left. Some hens pace while waiting for a hen to finish so they can go onto a certain nest, even with other nests empty.

When I collect eggs at the end of the day I often find most of the eggs in one box. Another nest may have only two while a third nest may only have one egg. I put a golf ball in each nest as a fake egg. Some hens like to lay all together but others are happy not to. The favorite nest can vary over time. One seems to be the favorite for a few weeks and then another one becomes the favorite.

As long as no harm is being done I don't worry about micromanaging them. As long as they lay in one of my nest I don't care which nest it is. I just let them be chickens.

Thank you for sharing

Micromanaging lol