If this is normal what is the hay for??! (pix)

[EggCentric]

I lined my nest boxes with astro turf, then shavings, then hay. They can move the shavings and hay, but they won't be moving the astro turf!

 

[horsewishr]

Um, I can tell you're not a horse person. That's straw, not hay.

(And yes, my girls do the same thing in their nests.)

 

[devora]

Quote:
Do they have a little 'red faced' emoticom thingie? Poor DH tries to educate me on such matters but it just doesn't stick. Still, if I talk of a roll in the hay he doesn't seem to care about the distinction...

 

[newchickowner]

Funny! seems like you could just pass on the straw and buy a wreath!!!

With the holidays coming up you could buy them in all the holiday colors to go with the holiday!!! (kidding, I wouldn't put anything synthetic that they might injest and hurt them)

 

[Southern28Chick]

Mine do that too and then when they're situated they start picking up straw and putting it around their bodies and even on their backs. It's very cute to watch.

Edited: A lot of people don't know the difference in straw and hay, I don't correct them when they get it wrong though...no one likes to be corrected.

Is that white egg wooden/fake or is it just a huge egg?

 

[ksmama97]

Mine did that with the wood shavings at first. I just put a whole lot more in and that fixed it. They make a nice bowl shape with plenty to cushion on the bottom.

 

[ozark hen]

mine rearrange the straw but their boxes are deep and the straw is deep so they never reach the bottom like that.

 

[lindseykoehler]

Mine do it too! I was getting a lot of cracked eggs, though. So I put some straw on the bottom of the nest, put some paper over it, then more straw. Now the girls still make the "wreath" nest, but no more broken eggs as it's a little more cushiony!

 

[Southern28Chick]

eggcartons.com has a straw pad thing that they can't dig into. Here's the link:

http://www.eggcartons.com/product-exec/product_id/212/nm/13_x_13_Excelsior_Nesting_Pads_EP1313

 

[bellydancer]

Mine do that, too.