Hen pecked out of nesting box..

[RuralAmy]

Hey all! Most of my new ladies are laying now. When any of the new girls are in the nesting box, one of our older hen goes in and pecks the new chicken out of her nesting box so she can lay. She doesn’t lay in the same box that she pecked the little girl out of. I’m worried this will create fear for the new girls to continue laying. The older one who does this only seems to do it when she needs to lay. Even if a new chick comes into the nesting area to lay while she’s in there, she will peck them out. She’s bottom of the pecking order for the older group and is the only bully to the new group. Thoughts or ideas?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's pretty normal. Do you have fake eggs in the boxes? Sometimes that helps to spread the laying out amongst more boxes. How many boxes per hens?

 

[Mrs. K]

What do your nests looks like? Sometimes making them smaller and darker, some add curtains, can help.

 

[RuralAmy]

That's pretty normal. Do you have fake eggs in the boxes? Sometimes that helps to spread the laying out amongst more boxes. How many boxes per hens?

I do have a golf ball in one of the boxes. That is the one the older hen lays in. The box next to that (with no fake egg) is where the younger chick was trying to lay. Good to know it’s normal. Hopefully she mellows out on the pecking. Thank you!

 

[RuralAmy]

What do your nests looks like? Sometimes making them smaller and darker, some add curtains, can help.

I feel like they are dark enough? I just get the vibe that the older hen wants to be totally alone when she lays? She’s good with the hen her age coming in and laying next to her.