Help, Fighting over nest boxes - missing egg

[Ricchan]

Two of my chickens were fighting over the new nest box today, one keeps chasing the other out after she settles down to lay. I found the egg from the aggressor but I couldn't find the egg of the other hen that was being chased. My run isn't huge and I actually sifted through the entire thing with no egg found. Is it bad that she tried to lay and egg and then didn't? I'm thinking of putting more boxes but I read that it doesn't mater they're still going to fight over boxes. I have 4 boxes to 4 chickens at the moment. I'm more concerned about the hen that couldn't lay her egg, will this cause her to become egg bound?

 

[rosemarythyme]

If they have to lay, they have to lay at some point. It might turn up under the roost the next morning.

 

[Ricchan]

If they have to lay, they have to lay at some point. It might turn up under the roost the next morning.

Thank you for the reassurance. I'm still new to the chicken life. I felt bad she was getting bullied out of the boxes, didn't want her getting sick from not being able to lay. Wasn't even sure if that was a thing but it makes sense that if they need to lay they're going to lay!

 

[aart]

I have 4 boxes to 4 chickens at the moment.

That's plenty.
Try putting a fake egg in each nest, might spread the love.

 

[Acre4Me]

They like it “private” and safe in their nest. You could add curtains to the front. You can try old feed bags for the curtains. Or fabric/old kitchen towels . The fabric will get dirty. Any fabric should not have stray threads bc they will pick at them. I’ve used curtains with success. We re-did our nest boxes and this year we’re were having problems getting the chickens to use two of the boxes. So, I added fixed feed bag sections in the doorway to the two nest boxes. I screwed them in at the top and one side, so they can get past the curtain bc 4 th side isn’t secured down. Now both are being used.

Kitty litter pails can work too. Keep the small part of the cover, not the larger flap. Use that small part as a lip to keep in bedding. They always seem to like these.

 

[Ricchan]

They like it “private” and safe in their nest. You could add curtains to the front. You can try old feed bags for the curtains. Or fabric/old kitchen towels . The fabric will get dirty. Any fabric should not have stray threads bc they will pick at them. I’ve used curtains with success. We re-did our nest boxes and this year we’re were having problems getting the chickens to use two of the boxes. So, I added fixed feed bag sections in the doorway to the two nest boxes. I screwed them in at the top and one side, so they can get past the curtain bc 4 th side isn’t secured down. Now both are being used.

Kitty litter pails can work too. Keep the small part of the cover, not the larger flap. Use that small part as a lip to keep in bedding. They always seem to like these.

I'll try to set up some curtains for them, I'm just about done with this feed bag so I'll give that a go. I'm slightly worried it'd get too hot in the box, my box is only 12x12x12 and one open side. They're like cubbies. You reckon it'd still work if I just covered the top half?

 

[Acre4Me]

I'll try to set up some curtains for them, I'm just about done with this feed bag so I'll give that a go. I'm slightly worried it'd get too hot in the box, my box is only 12x12x12 and one open side. They're like cubbies. You reckon it'd still work if I just covered the top half?

Yes. You can try that! But, they are “scared” of anything new at first. So, they might avoid it for a few days. But, they might not.