Never seen this rooster duty before...

[sahmhomesteader]

Will a rooster show a hen where to nest? My rooster does a wonderful job feeding and protecting his ladies. I just walked out in the barn to hear him make a noise I have never heard before. I have several 21 week old pullets. Of them a few just started laying recently. One of them followed him to where he was laying and making the noise. She laid down, he got up, and she laid an egg. It was cute! I had never heard of them doing something like that.

 

[Squeaket]

Never heard of that one before. Sounds like you've got a good boy there, you should keep him around.

 

[sahmhomesteader]

Never heard of that one before. Sounds like you've got a good boy there, you should keep him around.

It was seriously so adorable. He sat there watching her making the noise until the egg was laid. She hasn't laid in the nesting box yet, and I had moved the bin in the barn that she had started laying in to break the habit. Apparently she still doesn't understand what the nesting boxes are for. She may have been looking for a spot for a while lol.

 

[madicakes]

It was seriously so adorable. He sat there watching her making the noise until the egg was laid. She hasn't laid in the nesting box yet, and I had moved the bin in the barn that she had started laying in to break the habit. Apparently she still doesn't understand what the nesting boxes are for. She may have been looking for a spot for a while lol.

Have you tried golf balls in the next boxes? I put golf balls in each of mine before they started laying, and haven't had any problems with them not laying. I actually took some out of one of them (a nest that had regularly been in use) and they started laying in one of the other boxes that still had the balls in it! It looked like someone tried to move one of the balls too, because I found one on the outside of the nest boxes.

ETA: That is so cute that your rooster did that!

 

[sahmhomesteader]

Have you tried golf balls in the next boxes?  I put golf balls in each of mine before they started laying, and haven't had any problems with them not laying.  I actually took some out of one of them (a nest that had regularly been in use) and they started laying in one of the other boxes that still had the balls in it!  It looked like someone tried to move one of the balls too, because I found one on the outside of the nest boxes.

ETA:  That is so cute that your rooster did that!

I have 6 older laying hens that lay in the boxes so I thought the newbies might learn from them. On top of that I have a ceramic egg in 2 of the 8 boxes. I have also been keeping everyone in the coop until noon before letting them out to free range. I used to let them out at 8. You think I should I add more fake eggs to the boxes?

Oh my goodness. In the midst of typing this (nice day out, windows open) I heard 2 chickens singing the egg song so I went out to see who hoping to catch a younger one in the act. Anyhoo, this hen had just stood up to leave her nest and was singing the egg song and the rooster was singing it back. HOW CUTE!! They are a team apparently lol...

 

[madicakes]

I have 6 older laying hens that lay in the boxes so I thought the newbies might learn from them. On top of that I have a ceramic egg in 2 of the 8 boxes. I have also been keeping everyone in the coop until noon before letting them out to free range. I used to let them out at 8. You think I should I add more fake eggs to the boxes?

Oh my goodness. In the midst of typing this (nice day out, windows open) I heard 2 chickens singing the egg song so I went out to see who hoping to catch a younger one in the act. Anyhoo, this hen had just stood up to leave her nest and was singing the egg song and the rooster was singing it back. HOW CUTE!! They are a team apparently lol...

Okay, well, that's not the problem then

That is too cute about the "couple"! I would love to have seen that

 

[sahmhomesteader]

Okay, well, that's not the problem then

That is too cute about the "couple"!  I would love to have seen that

I hope to see it many more times! ...a chicken love story HAHA

 

[Eggcessive]

My head rooster does that all of the time with a certain different hen each day. He will come in mid morning and show the hen the place he wants her to lay, and most of the time they will follow his advice. He does this with both new hens and old ones, LOL.

 

[sahmhomesteader]

My head rooster does that all of the time with a certain different hen each day.  He will come in mid morning and show the hen the place he wants her to lay, and most of the time they will follow his advice.  He does this with both new hens and old ones, LOL.

That is so cool! Seriously. I am so excited right now to have such a good boy. My 21 week old cockerel...not so much. If he doesn't straighten up, there will be a new number 2 roo in town.

Only your head roo does this?