Nests Box Wars

[BLaBauve]

We have a broody hen and several hens that are laying. There are 6 nest boxes total for 7 hens right now. Obviously the broody is always in a nest box and no ones seems to mind. But if any other hen is in a nest box, my RIR freaks out and starts screaming about it. I will then push the other hen out of the nest box and the RIR will still scream. A few minutes later the RIR will be in a nest, but if anyone else comes in the coop she gets up and screams again. It's really a loud "BWAK, BWAK, BWAK" I guess, that can carry on for 10 minutes. I have neighbors pretty close and I'm sure they can hear it. My chickens are not legal, I just have understanding neighbors.

What do I do!? Could I put nesting boxes in the run for her? Would that help?

 

[RM44]

I'm in the same boat as you (noisy chickens during the nest-box times), and my chickens are not legal either. I've found that a dozen eggs for the neighbors every now and then is a sure-fire way to keep the complaints down. I have some I call "screamers" that are so loud, even when someone else is laying an egg, and I have some that barely make a sound. Just different chicken personalities I guess.

 

[woodward farms]

ok you have a RIR that likes to talk a lot, is she the broody one also ?
but your illegal by keeping chickens and thinking that the bawk bawk will give you away?
is your broody sitting on fertile eggs...
your rooster should be making more noise the a hen. thus giving you away.

but i dont know
i would install a curtain over the broodys nest box and give that a try
she cant scream at things she dosnt see.

 

[BLaBauve]

My neighbors know about the chickens, I just don't want to annoy them. The broody is not the RIR. I don't have a rooster - a friend gave me fertile eggs.

 

[kano]

That SKWAK is music for my ears. Is the ancient call to the others members of the flock , who were out of her site, away in the Indian jungle. Is a"Here i am , where are you",in chicken language. Of course , now it has suffer a litlle distortion, and they "skwack" for any reason....

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

I don't know why RIR's are so loud about the nest boxes. I have 6 nest boxes for 20 hens. They obviously take turns or share a box. There is normally not a problem. But all boxes can be empty and the 1 RIR would just scream if anyone came in. She would scream if she went in the Coop and any hen was on a nest box. That's the one she wanted. I took her and put her in another box, repeatedly.

After a few weeks she got the idea to shut up cause I was loosing my temper with her and I threatened her with extinction. She evidently understood she was borderline suicidal. Her mother was mean and suicidal. Hens have a way of disappearing around here if they get to annoying and they seem to know it. Now she has settled down and is quite quiet and doesn't nip anymore. So I quess I'll keep her.

When it first gets hot, their tempers seem to flare. Set her in a nest when she screams and see if that helps, when she gets out, put her back. You are the head hen and you have to prove it now and again. Good Luck.

 

[beachchickie]

I wondered if they get more irritable when it is hot. Mine seem to have alot shorter fuse lately

 

[BLaBauve]

Well she sure is grouchy and vocal these days. She will carry on for so long I pick her up and cover her face until she stops. I guess I need to try some tough love.