Got to be kidding me 🤣

[georgiapumpkin]

I have 5 nesting boxes. Why in the world are these hens doing this? This was yesterday and today there was two in there. Do I need to get rid of the boxes and just make one long communal box?
Thanks

 

[3KillerBs]

Wow! That's amazing.

 

[LizzzyJo]

OBVIOUSLY that's the cool box. You wouldn't understand.

 

[georgiapumpkin]

OBVIOUSLY that's the cool box. You wouldn't understand.

I guess not. Lol

 

[Coops Dad]

When I first got chickens, I had 6 hens and one rooster. I built 6 nest boxes so everyone would have their own. They all used the same single box. Now we have 31 hens and 3 roosters (2 separate flocks of 1/5 and 2/23) We routinely have 2 or 3 chickens in one box. Sometimes one or more will be "on deck" for the sweet nest and another will just jump in on top of the hen already in the box, and the squawking and carrying on can be heard inside the house.

 

[georgiapumpkin]

When I first got chickens, I had 6 hens and one rooster. I built 6 nest boxes so everyone would have their own. They all used the same single box. Now we have 31 hens and 3 roosters (2 separate flocks of 1/5 and 2/23) We routinely have 2 or 3 chickens in one box. Sometimes one or more will be "on deck" for the sweet nest and another will just jump in on top of the hen already in the box, and the squawking and carrying on can be heard inside the house.

Today my husband helped me to make one communal nest box. Now they can all sit next to each other and squawk away.
So, let's see if that makes them happy.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Chickens are weird like that. All 12 of Mine had 6 glorious nest boxes but only would use two. Once, I found a pile up like that, and when I checked back five minutes later the bottom one had a nice little egg sitting in her back .

This “Communal” box might work better, but would take away what little privacy they have. The point of the nest boxes is to give the hens a nice dark place to lay. It would be of your hens benefit to have a nice covered enclosed space, rather than a bunch of open places. In fact, the reason that they are all piling up is because seeing another hen laying somewhere indicated it is safe and quiet, and a great place to lay. The reason your hens are sitting backward like that is probably because they’re wanting a bit more privacy. In the end though, it doesn’t matter how many boxes you give them they’ll just continue to pile up like that

 

[georgiapumpkin]

Yea, I made sure he enclosed the sides, back and top.
Before it was just the litter boxes I was using. I don't know how this will work but we'll see. There so funny and I just love them to pieces

 

[Fontaine]

Yea, I made sure he enclosed the sides, back and top.
Before it was just the litter boxes I was using. I don't know how this will work but we'll see. There so funny and I just love them to pieces

Please keep us posted!

 

[icy_flames]

My 5 layers are doing this right now. I have 4 nest boxes in the coop and EVERYONE wants the one on far left. There is nothing special about it