Hens are all using one nest box

[Callender Girl]

@Rebbiereb, I have a variety of breeds, but the worst offenders are generally the Easter Eggers and the Salmon Faverolles. My frizzled Cochin Bantam spends most of her life being broody -- with no chance of fertilized eggs -- so she likes to jump into a nest box and spend the day on the fake eggs. Heaven help the hen who blocks Gabby's access to a nest box!

 

[Rebbiereb]

@Rebbiereb, I have a variety of breeds, but the worst offenders are generally the Easter Eggers and the Salmon Faverolles. My frizzled Cochin Bantam spends most of her life being broody -- with no chance of fertilized eggs -- so she likes to jump into a nest box and spend the day on the fake eggs. Heaven help the hen who blocks Gabby's access to a nest box!

It's my astralorps. They are the screamers here. But my barred rocks like to egg them on, pun intended.
Oh boy, you are telling me it might get worse. No one is broody yet. They are 11 months old. 6 chickies arrive Thursday morning. All legacy breeds. Get ready for the long haul and keep my sense of chicken humor!!!

 

[BDutch]

It's my astralorps. They are the screamers here. But my barred rocks like to egg them on, pun intended.
Oh boy, you are telling me it might get worse. No one is broody yet. They are 11 months old. 6 chickies arrive Thursday morning. All legacy breeds. Get ready for the long haul and keep my sense of chicken humor!!!

I see you are quit new with chickens. Therefore I have a few questions. How old are the chicks? Do you keep the chicks quarantined? Did you read about putting younger chicks/chickens with older ones (pecking order)?
It’s just that I don’t want others to make the same mistakes as I did when I was new with chicks.

 

[Rebbiereb]

I see you are quit new with chickens. Therefore I have a few questions. How old are the chicks? Do you keep the chicks quarantined? Did you read about putting younger chicks/chickens with older ones (pecking order)?
It’s just that I don’t want others to make the same mistakes as I did when I was new with chicks.

Hi, BDdutch! Thank you For your reply. I think we are doing ok so far. I do a lot of research but we are always learning.
My girls are almost a year old. I have 3 black astralorps and 2 barred rocks currently.
New chicks are arriving Thursday. 2 buff Orpington, 2 Wyandotte, one barred rock( lost one to a hawk a few months back,)and one Columbian barred rock.
I am in western Massachusetts so it is way too early for chicks outside. I have their bin ready in our basement with their heater, thermometer, wood shavings, chick feed, chick-sized waterer and feeder. This worked perfectly with the last batch of babies.
Our spacious run is under trees and it includes our "chicken vault" and also a free standing coop. Once the new girls are completely feathered they will go to this coop inside the run where everyone can see each other and become acquainted until they are the same size.
In the meantime we will expand the chicken vault for more space for roosting.
We are learning as we go along. Wish I had discovered this forum last year. Anything you or others can add is more than appreciated! Thanks again!
Kat

 

[cmom]

I use golf balls in my nest boxes and it does help some but there are still usually more eggs in certain nest boxes than others. I do have some single and a community nest box in one coop and the birds hardly ever use the community nest box, they want to use the single nest boxes.

 

[SnootyHen]

I have 3 boxes and 12 ladies and for the most part, they all use the same box. Sometimes 2-3 are in there while others are pacing waiting for it and no one is in the other 2. Now and again I find an egg in one of the other 2 but only when they are positively desperate. Otherwise, they line up for the one and sit on top of each other. That's chickens for ya!

 

[Rebbiereb]

I have 3 boxes and 12 ladies and for the most part, they all use the same box. Sometimes 2-3 are in there while others are pacing waiting for it and no one is in the other 2. Now and again I find an egg in one of the other 2 but only when they are positively desperate. Otherwise, they line up for the one and sit on top of each other. That's chickens for ya!

I placed both boxes back in the henhouse yesterday. This morning there was some screaming so I am sure they are competing for the same box again. Can't wait to see where the eggs will be. They are like children fighting over one toy.
Thinking of starting a betting pool, lol!!

 

[Rebbiereb]

I placed both boxes back in the henhouse yesterday. This morning there was some screaming so I am sure they are competing for the same box again. Can't wait to see where the eggs will be. They are like children fighting over one toy.
Thinking of starting a betting pool, lol!!

Really liking the idea of large box for all of them. Will look for some design options.

 

[cmom]

to our newer members... Some of my gals I call cheerleaders. I have a lot of birds around 200. In one coop I have 14 nests boxes plus a community nest box with golf balls in every nest box. There are plenty of nest boxes but sometimes there will be some of the birds in some of the nest boxes and other that are empty but some gals will be on the roosts singing the egg song, so I call them the cheerleaders.

 

[Rebbiereb]

I placed both boxes back in the henhouse yesterday. This morning there was some screaming so I am sure they are competing for the same box again. Can't wait to see where the eggs will be. They are like children fighting over one toy.
Thinking of starting a betting pool, lol!!

My afternoon report: I can't believe it! 4 eggs for the day from my 5 girls. 2 eggs in each box! Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but there was very little screaming this morning. Thank God.