Illinois...

[Junibutt]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/938506496180883/
Hope that works!

I mean the chicken neighborhood FB page

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I mean the chicken neighborhood FB page

Sorry, here you go. I just created it to find the other chicken people in the neighborhood and network.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1484096911835165/

 

[Junibutt]

Sorry, here you go. I just created it to find the other chicken people in the neighborhood and network.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1484096911835165/

Thanks!

 

[ChicagoClucker]

How do you stop the fights over nesting boxes? This is crazy!. I have a CCL that's not giving up the fight and her comb is bleeding. Its her against my 2 older hens and she insists on trying to kick the one out of her nest. I have finally put her in a cat carrier with food and water, but she is not happy. Oh n by the way, I have 5 nesting boxes for 7 hens. One in the garage coop and 4 in the outdoor coop. My buff orp and the leghorn both use the garage coop, so that leaves 4 nesting boxes for 5 hens.

 

[snaffle]

Not sure how to cure your hen problem. Why do they always want the same nests? I see that at my place too.

You might want to take a couple of eggs that have been laid and place them in other nesting boxes.

The few times I removed eggs from the lower nests and put them in the upper ones... just to keep them safe ...

I will go out later to gather eggs and always find that the hens jumped up to the high nests where the eggs were stored and layed theirs there... there are never any in the lower nests when I do that.

Interesting too is that there are no rails outside of the upper nests. We have not built and attached them yet.

If I dont put eggs up there... no hen ever lays eggs in those nests.

 

[Faraday40]

I have a couple older, dominant hens that will push a lower hen out if they want to use a specific nest. Overall, the girls use all 4 nests. I do have a golf ball in each nest.

The same bullying happens around the feed & water. If an older hen wants a specific spot, the lower hen must move to another. Some of the hens have little nicks on their combs, but never big gashes or big fights. I've been keeping mine locked up due to the AI threat. Poor chickens want out! That could be another reason why they're acting out a little.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I have a couple older, dominant hens that will push a lower hen out if they want to use a specific nest. Overall, the girls use all 4 nests. I do have a golf ball in each nest.

The same bullying happens around the feed & water. If an older hen wants a specific spot, the lower hen must move to another. Some of the hens have little nicks on their combs, but never big gashes or big fights. I've been keeping mine locked up due to the AI threat. Poor chickens want out! That could be another reason why they're acting out a little.

This was the younger CCL trying to kick the older girl out of the nest. She was not quitting either, just kept going back for more abuse. There are 2 nest on the south side that the 2 older girls use and then 2 nest on north side that the CCLs have been using and then my Orp and Leghorn use the nest in the garage coop.

I am still letting mine free range, so its not that. She was just so set on that nest! First time for this and hopefully the last.

 

[Junibutt]

Any of you chicken lovers know how to sex 3 weeks old Orpingtons? I can post pics @ChicagoClucker you can now guess what crimes against family I have committed. Last night I broke it to DW that something is arriving today. But at first I had to give her a Mother's Day gift in advance. Hopefully she wouldn't kill me when they arrive. It helps that I was able to rehome 7 of the 10 Easter HAL chicks I had left.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Any of you chicken lovers know how to sex 3 weeks old Orpingtons? I can post pics @ChicagoClucker you can now guess what crimes against family I have committed. Last night I broke it to DW that something is arriving today. But at first I had to give her a Mother's Day gift in advance. Hopefully she wouldn't kill me when they arrive. It helps that I was able to rehome 7 of the 10 Easter HAL chicks I had left.

You know I can't sex a chicken, but I'd love to see the chicks and your new crimes against your family.

 

[Junibutt]

How do you stop the fights over nesting boxes? This is crazy!. I have a CCL that's not giving up the fight and her comb is bleeding. Its her against my 2 older hens and she insists on trying to kick the one out of her nest. I have finally put her in a cat carrier with food and water, but she is not happy. Oh n by the way, I have 5 nesting boxes for 7 hens. One in the garage coop and 4 in the outdoor coop. My buff orp and the leghorn both use the garage coop, so that leaves 4 nesting boxes for 5 hens.

As @snaffle said you may want to put some real or fake eggs in other nest boxes and let her try them out. I know new ones try to get in the nests where they see the older hens lay because thats what they know. I have 3 nests but all 11 of my hens use one. Its kind of funny to see them standing in line to get in. But when they can't wait any longer 2 or 3 get in at the same time, trying to find the best corner spot. Lower order ones hiding their heads to prevent being pecked by the older.