Hen sleeping and pooping in the nest....she is not broody though

[rachelwillow]

I have a hen who is such a troublemaker. She was recently broody, probably a month ago. Now she is sleeping in the nesting box. She poops in there too, my eggs are getting really nasty! She is not in there during the day, she is definitely not broody anymore (besides she doesn't poop in there when she's broody), and she is also molting. She is the lowest in the pecking order, do you think she's getting kicked off the roost at night? Not sure what to do. Husband wants to eat her for dinner, since she's gone broody twice in 6 months and is now pooping on our eggs. Any ideas?

 

[rachelwillow]

PS she is a speckled Sussex...I know she is prone to broodiness, is she maybe also prone to strange behavior?

 

[Wyandottes7]

If she's lowest in the pecking order, I suspect that the other birds may be keeping her off the roost. I'd watch their behavior near nightfall and see if this could be the case.

In the meantime, I suggest blocking off the nest box. This may encourage her to stop sleeping in it.

 

[centrarchid]

Create another roost site she can get to without getting close to higher ranking birds already on the roost. Close off nest box with something like paper bag each evening until all birds on roost. Latter step can be stopped once hen goes to proper rooster for about three night in a row.

 

[hennible]

Good advice

 

[Ponyfeather]

I second making another roosting site. You might have to close off the nesting box, at night to keep her out of it. It has become her safe space where no one can sneak up on her. I don't blame her for hiding in it if they are bullying her on the roost or even off it. Some high in the peaking order chickens are such brats to the lower in the pecking order chickens. I use to know three Jersey Giant hens that wouldn't even look at me because of a single higher in the peaking order hen. She wouldn't look at me either, all the other hens + the rooster where just fine with me and rather friendly. Once little miss stuck up got ate Small, Medium and Large started paying attention to me.