Hen laying at dusk!?

[snikrs11]

Hi there, my hen (Hope) is or is trying to lay an egg at dusk when they are normally already roosting. The last three nights I forced her out of her nesting area because I don't want her sleeping on the ground through the night. She's upset at first but then I herd her and Hewey to their coop. Am I hurting her laying by forcing her to leave? I'm almost 100% positive if I didn't move her she would stay there all night and that worries me tremendously. I love them so much they are my pets not just birds to me

 

[R2elk]

Hi there, my hen (Hope) is or is trying to lay an egg at dusk when they are normally already roosting. The last three nights I forced her out of her nesting area because I don't want her sleeping on the ground through the night. She's upset at first but then I herd her and Hewey to their coop. Am I hurting her laying by forcing her to leave? I'm almost 100% positive if I didn't move her she would stay there all night and that worries me tremendously. I love them so much they are my pets not just birds to me

I suspect that your hen is not trying to lay an egg but rather that she is broody. I currently have a number of hens that are trying to be broody and I chase them off of the nests and make them go in the coop for the night.

I do this because I want them alive and don't want them to be predator food. I also am done hatching for the year and don't want new keets hatching in October.

 

[sawilliams]

1 are you sure she's trying too lay? It sounds to me like she might have found a preferred roost rather then the coop.

2 what is her age? And is she offically laying yet? Some pullets (per my experiance) can but don't prefer to roost on bars until after our just prior to starting to lay. If she's going she could perfer the safe feel of the nest over the roost.

3 is the enough space in the coop? I've seen some pretty crazy suggestions on how much roost per bird. But basicly if she isn't getting up on the roost willingly, even if they seems to be enough room, you might need more roosts. Even though 6-7 of my hens eill share the same 8ft roost they won't let certain hen nest on the roost or the next one down. I have 4 8ft roost and one of my younger chickens still roosts on the lowest away from the big girls. If i only had 3 that one chicken would likely be I the nest to add even the second teir hens will fight to keep the 3rd one clear.

4 if she is a bit older is it possible she's broody? That to can explain staying in a nest over night. Your best tell for this would be her going back to the nest shortly after being let out the next morning, or trying to nest I the corner of the coop at night. I'm not saying shell go straight to the nest shell probably walk around, eat, drink and maybe even dust before she remembers hey i wanted to hatch some babies. But if broody is the case simply removing her at night likely won't detour her long term

 

[GardenTillers44]

I suspect that your hen is not trying to lay an egg but rather that she is broody. I currently have a number of hens that are trying to be broody and I chase them off of the nests and make them go in the coop for the night.

I do this because I want them alive and don't want them to be predator food. I also am done hatching for the year and don't want new keets hatching in October.

We have an Ameraucana doing the same thing. I believe she is acting broody as well. The last couple nights she has set up on a mixed box of eggs and we have to force her off the nest for the same reasons as R2elk. We will be home all day for the next few days and can remove eggs throughout the day and not allow her to set up on the nest.

 

[sawilliams]

Lol I just realized I might have a broody also. It's not dusk yet but all the others are playing and she just took over the prime nest after i just kicked her out so i could collect eggs...

I could do a winter hatch, I'm trying to grow my flock

 

[GardenTillers44]

1 are you sure she's trying too lay? It sounds to me like she might have found a preferred roost rather then the coop.

4 if she is a bit older is it possible she's broody? That to can explain staying in a nest over night. Your best tell for this would be her going back to the nest shortly after being let out the next morning, or trying to nest I the corner of the coop at night. I'm not saying shell go straight to the nest shell probably walk around, eat, drink and maybe even dust before she remembers hey i wanted to hatch some babies. But if broody is the case simply removing her at night likely won't detour her long term

Our broodies are pretty relentless, when removed, at eventually getting back on the nest throughout the day. Unless steps are taken to break the broody, the behavior seems to last about a month.

We did have a young bird seek safe haven inside the nest box once for roosting. She was much smaller than the rest of the flock and I think just did not want to be jostled about on the roost. She only went into the box at roosting time. We removed the nestboxes at night for a week or so and she got used to finding a place on the roost bars.