Nesting boxes and a broody

[Hopeful homesteader]

I've got 6 nesting boxes that are 2ft × 1ft. I made them wider cause they seem to like piling in to lay together and of course they all have the 1 favorite box everyone wants to use. Each one that's gone broody has picked a box to sit in and it's not the designated favorite either but now everyone wants to get in and lay their eggs where the broody is sitting. When the chicks hatched last month the rest went back to laying in the favorite box and now that another has gone broody their trying to get in and lay next to her again. Is there a reason for them wanting to lay their eggs with a broody rather than going to their favorite box? Interestingly the broodies didn't/don't seem to care when others jump in to lay, I assumed they would raise their feathers and screech at the others to stay away like I'd seen in others videos but they just let the other hens come and go without protest and push the new egg under themselves so I mark the hatching eggs and collect the new ones daily.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Why not get someone else to hatch and raise your kids? Add your eggs to a broodies nest and your genes are passed on without the effort, and wasted energy. It's a brilliant survival strategy.