Making their own nest?

[maizey]

My girls are on the brink of laying, red combs, squatting, right age...all is looking promising. They have two nesting boxes in their coop with straw and wooden dummy eggs. When I checked them upon getting home from work this afternoon, they had apparently been busy rearranging the litter in the floor of the coop. They had scraped the straw and shavings into the most perfect nest shape, all fluffy around the edges even. Still no egg though. Would they make their own nest before getting ready to lay or was this a coincidence of some random scratching around in the coop?

 

[paddock36]

They might. I have a few hens that don't like to use the nest box. They would rather lay thier eggs on the ground. No matter what I do they lay in the same corner.

 

[Pinky]

My game hens first egg was laid in a nest on the ground she maid.

 

[maizey]

I'll try to take a pic of it if it's still there tomorrow...it's a a pretty big nest...I had about a full black trash/yard bag of straw down and I think they rearranged all of it...I was impressed with their skills.