Hens waiting in line for the same nesting box...is this normal?

[elmo]

Quote:
This is my first year of chicken keeping, so I don't have that much experience, but I've just had three broody hens hatch out clutches of eggs this spring. Here's the way it worked with my flock: one egg just made them want to lay in the nestbox. They didn't go broody until a whole clutch of eggs accumulated in there (for my bantams, that was around 8 or 9 eggs). If you don't want broodies, just leave one dummy egg, and collect the real eggs as usual.

Of course, your chickens might go broody on one egg (or none), but this is the way my hens behaved.

 

[gryeyes]

My rooster, quite a big fellow, will get into the nest box to encourage the hens. Well, one hen at a time, usually one of his favorites.

I watched him check out the new rollaway nest boxes in the new coop I recently built, and he stuffed himself into each of the two nest boxes, turned around, made encouraging sounds, and then got out and waited whilst the hen "under instruction" checked out the nest box after him.

They're still laying in the OLD coop's nest boxes, though.

I think they're NOT laying in the new nest boxes BECAUSE they're rollaway types, and eggs don't stay visible. I still have a golf ball in the old nest boxes..... which is where they lay. Still. I only had one hen use the rollaway nest boxes for about a week... right after the rooster showed her they were okay. Then she went back to the old nestboxes. (She must have been the best student - nobody else even tried the new boxes.)

Oh well.

 

[Kanthaka]

Same problem here and I only have two chickens! And four nestboxes! It's tough when they both want to lay at the same time. One will pace and cackle outside while the other is laying. I tried placing her in one of the other 3 boxes but no go.

 

[newchicksnducks]

There are already 2 hens inside the box that the white is trying to edge her way into!

 

[verlaj]

Of course, your chickens might go broody on one egg (or none), but this is the way my hens behaved.

Mine are broody on no eggs. Was happy for the first one, but now I have 7!!​

 

[tlcarnes1976]

Thanks for all the comments. I am glad our chicken are not crazy.....or are they???

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I eventually decided to just go with a larger community nest box and that has worked great. Now instead of having to wait or climb on top of each other, they just lay next to each other.