Hens kicking broody's off their eggs

[Shellystanley]

My laying hens typically ALWAYS lay in the same box. I have two broody silkie's so I decided to let them try to hatch some babies, but when my laying hens go in the coop to lay an egg, instead of going to the box that they normally go to, they kick the broody's off those eggs and lay in that box. I've tried several different boxes now and they do it every time. Is there a way to break them from doing this? The way my coop is set up I don't have somewhere else to put the broody silkie's with their eggs.

 

[Pyxis]

Can you instead just block off the nesting boxes the silkies are in so the other hens can't get in there? They will always want to lay in the favored nesting box if they can so they will continue to kick the silkies out if you don't move them or block them off. I've found chicken wire works well for this. Just make sure to let the silkies off the nest once a day to eat and drink.

 

[Poultry parent]

my chickens always try to sit on eggs that are already there while they lay, you could try putting some eggs in the nest box they are supposed to go to

 

[Shellystanley]

Can you instead just block off the nesting boxes the silkies are in so the other hens can't get in there? They will always want to lay in the favored nesting box if they can so they will continue to kick the silkies out if you don't move them or block them off. I've found chicken wire works well for this. Just make sure to let the silkies off the nest once a day to eat and drink.

Would I just put wire over the opening of the box? I feel bad locking them in there like that. I'm in OK and it gets really hot here. I'd be worried they would get too hot in there. I guess it's no different than them staying in there on the nest, but knowing that they can't get out if they need to doesn't feel right to me.

 

[Shellystanley]

my chickens always try to sit on eggs that are already there while they lay, you could try putting some eggs in the nest box they are supposed to go to

That's a good idea. I will definitely try that!

 

[Shellystanley]

I have another question too. The silkie's tend to lay on the same nest of eggs. Is this ok?

 

[Poultry parent]

if they aren't fighting or hurting the eggs then it's probably okay

 

[Pyxis]

It's fine if they share the same nest, they'll also raise the chicks together.

If you don't want to block them in the nests and you can't move them then there's not much you can do. Putting eggs in other boxes won't necessarily encourage the other hens to lay there - they'll still want the favorite box. If my hens could get into my broody's boxes to lay they would. Plus if they can get in there they will lay new eggs in the nest leading to a staggered hatch under the broodies which is bad news. Or another possibility is that the other hens will kick them out of the box they are in and they will go to another box you have put eggs in and abandon the ones they were on. And the jostling of the other hens trying to get in the nest to lay could also easily lead to the developing eggs getting broken.