Ok I am new at actually getting eggs from my hens but this seems weird

HeatherLynn

Crowing
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Ok I bought 4 laying hens a couple weeks ago. They are settling in now and starting to lay a bit more regular. So I was in the coop doing a bit of cleaning, feeding and such. One of the hens hops into the nesting box and gives me a little brown gift. Was the first time I actually saw one of them lay and she was kinda singing a bit. Ok well another hen started the same deal but seemed a bit stuck. Anyway, as she was getting more and more distressed, the rooster hops up in the nesting box too and starts acting like a hen laying an egg including all the sounds. She went in with him and tried again. No egg So he hopped out and stood in front of the box on a perch and kept singing at her. still no egg. He then hopped on the ground, dug in the dirt a bit and settled down and started the singing again acting like he was going to lay. She again followed and he gave up his spot to her. Still no egg. He went back to the boxes and did the same thing again. She just kept following him as he did this. She finally did lay her egg but it was a weird weird sight. Is this normal? or are my birds a tad nuts. None of the other hens ever acted like they had a difficult time but again they are new and are just starting to lay regular again.
 
You have a WONDERFUL roo!

I am constantly amazed at the instinctual activity that various animals display. Especially chickens. *I* was their mom, they weren't raised by a chicken, and yet they know how to do chicken-y things so well.

My rooster, Carl, is a dear boy and will find little goodies for his ladies. Sometimes, though, he fakes the girls out and calls them for a "special something" that is just a twig or a funny-shaped bit of pine shaving. He's only luring them close to jump on 'em. He doesn't do it very often (but often enough that I've seen him do it 3 times now over the past month) and it ALWAYS fools the hens.

Carl also sings the egg song and makes encouraging sounds for a hen getting ready to lay. He hasn't gone to the trouble you describe - well, not when I'm there to see it, anyway! - but it's not that unusual for a rooster to "assist" hens with midwifery duties. Carl DID check out the new nestbox in the new coop for each hen, showing her it was big enough and nice enough for her, first.
 
Ok then my husband was right. I thought something was wrong and he said he was just doing the Bill Cosby cheer. Push it out, shove it out, way out, breathe push it out, shove it out, way out. Ok well good to know. I will stop visiting every few to make sure everything is fine. I thought she was having an egg laying problem and he was just confused.
 
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My roo just stands around and looks pretty...I feel like I got jipped when I read posts like yours!
 

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