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

[tlcarnes1976]

We have a total of 46 pullets and 4 cockerals. 9 of the hens are 21 weeks old and 4 of them have stated laying. We have noticed that there are 2 nesting boxes(out of the 10) that they prefer to lay in. But when one hen is laying the others wait in line or get right in the box and start pecking at her to get her out. At other times the hens will lay right on top of the other hen that is trying to lay her egg. Is this normal?

Also, we have one Roo (smaller than the other 3, also 21 weeks) that constantly is laying in nesting box. Is he gender confused or just trying to show the other girls what to do?

11 of the 13 are RIR (3 roos and 8 hens) and the other 2 are EE one of each. The EE hen is the one that is getting picked on the most by the other hens when she is trying to lay her beautiful green eggs.

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

One nest box is ALWAYS better than the other ones. Only the hens know why!

It sounds like you have provided enough - 4-5 pullets per box is not unreasonable.

To make the other nest boxes more attractive, you could trying placing eggs in them. You can use real eggs, or golf balls. I have some wooden ones I got at a craft store that work very well. The egg will trick the hens into thinking, "Well, gee, someone else liked that box. Maybe I want it, too!"

 

[tlcarnes1976]

Thanks!

 

[verlaj]

I have 6 broody hens, 6 nesting boxes inside the coop, and this morning there were 4 hens piled into one box! From the outside, all I could see were hens and tails sticking up!

 

[Scoop]

Yup, happens all the time here, too. Makes it easy to collect eggs if they are all in the same box!

 

[elmo]

Here's what worked for me: I left a dummy egg (or a golf ball) in each of the other nestboxes. This helped. It seems like none of my hens wanted to be the first to lay an egg in a box, and since I collect eggs every day, the unoccupied boxes were empty.

 

[verlaj]

Maybe I'll go back to that. I took the dummy eggs out because I wanted to discourage the broody hens, but they don't seem to care that there are no eggs under them!

 

[PunkinPeep]

As to your rooster in the nest box....

he might be hiding. I have a rooster who was getting picked on by the alpha roo, and i have found him hiding in the nest box for cover. It was very cute.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

My Leghorns have four nest boxes for only five birds at present. They'll all lay in the same box every day week after week. Those rare times that one of them lays in a different box - never more than one - it's noteworthy enough that we talk about it.

My Delawares/Jersey Giants have a four foot wide community nest. Eleven hens in there and most every day every egg will be in the same corner. Occasionally there will be a smaller group of eggs on the other side, but most every day they'll all be in the same corner.

I've stopped worrying about it. Iprovide what I believe is enough nest space for everyone and let them sort it out amongst themselves what part of it they'll actually use.

.....Alan.

 

[schellie69]

I have a line outside the coop right now because a hen was in her nest box, I have 2 red ones and 2 blue one they complete ignore the blue ones and use the 2 red ones, and they each lay in the box they like either top or bottom one, it is funny to listen to them cluck at each other to hurry up this is just chickens for you.