New hens won't let others into the nesting boxes

[MPio13]

I have 4 original RIRs about a 2 months after getting them my wife brought home 3 Speckled Sussex. They initially had a big fight but seemed to work it out and I would find all 7 of them in the nesting box area at night. Lately I noticed at least 3 and sometimes all 4 of the RIRs will be on the roosting bar just outside the nesting area (but inside the coop) and one SS will be blocking the entrance at the top of the ramp. I'm assuming they're all comfortable anyways. But maybe the SS are being dominant and taking over? I feel bad the original girls got kicked out of their own home. Any thoughts? Maybe it will pass.
The coop is a store bought one. Advertised to hold 8 birds... they used to all sleep in there together but not at all lately. In the AM they all come out and everyone takes turns going in to lay their egg.
Any help or info would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Kiki]

What is the size of just the coop part.
That can not possible hold 7 chickens...??
They may not have enough room to all fit comfy.

 

[MPio13]

What is the size of just the coop part.
That can not possible hold 7 chickens...??
They may not have enough room to all fit comfy.

Thanks for the reply. Seems large enough for all of them. Probably about 3×3 and 2.5 ft tall. 3 boxes and 2 roosting bars inside. Like I said they've all slept in their together before.

 

[Kiki]

No way is that enough room.
That is just barely one foot per hen.
They need at least 3 square feet per hen.

 

[MPio13]

No way is that enough room.
That is just barely one foot per hen.
They need at least 3 square feet per hen.

Really?

No way is that enough room.
That is just barely one foot per hen.
They need at least 3 square feet per hen.

Thank You! Guess it's time to expand.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am thinking once you expand all will be well again.

Give them as much space as you can. A little elbow room will be appreciated by your hens.
I think if you doubled your space they would be OK but just OK. If you can triple it they will be much happier.

 

[rIrs roost]

All of the coops that I've seen for sale in stores advertise a bunch of BS. They definitely need more room but you don't want them sleeping in nesting boxes. You want them on the roost so the nesting boxes stay clean for them to lay eggs.

 

[MPio13]

All of the coops that I've seen for sale in stores advertise a bunch of BS. They definitely need more room but you don't want them sleeping in nesting boxes. You want them on the roost so the nesting boxes stay clean for them to lay eggs.

I had that suspicion. I was happy with 4 birds. But my wife (who didn't want chickens to begin with) just HAD to have 3 more once she loved the original 4 so much. Go figure.

 

[Kiki]

She is a smart woman...she is already mastering chicken math!

 

[rIrs roost]

I had that suspicion. I was happy with 4 birds. But my wife (who didn't want chickens to begin with) just HAD to have 3 more once she loved the original 4 so much. Go figure.

She is a smart woman...she is already mastering chicken math!

can you believe that Kiki? They already had 4 and had to get three more LOL. Mpio you may as well go ahead and make a trip to Lowe's. You'll need to buy the materials for a chicken coop. You may want to make sure that it will hold at least 20 or 30 LOL. I only wanted a few hens for eggs. 20 or so chickens later I have one Broody hen sitting on eggs and a few in the incubator.