Pet actively laying (new at it) chicken or leave alone?

[shawthorne44]

So, our hens are starting to lay. We figure about 8 of the 20 (now 19) are laying. When I peer in (we have an exterior door to the nesting boxes) and see a hen laying, my instinct is to leave her alone. Husband points out that they seem to like company then and that they have cheerleaders when they lay.
So, what do experienced people say?

 

[MillersFarm]

So, our hens are starting to lay. We figure about 8 of the 20 (now 19) are laying. When I peer in (we have an exterior door to the nesting boxes) and see a hen laying, my instinct is to leave her alone. Husband points out that they seem to like company then and that they have cheerleaders when they lay.
So, what do experienced people say?

I'd leave them be so you don't stress them out when they're first starting to lay. Yes, sometimes a rooster will sit at the edge of a nesting box and cheer the girls on while laying, but unless your husband is a chicken i'd leave it to the rooster (If you have one) And if you don't they still don't need someone to cheer them on.

 

[SpaghettiJo]

It really depends on your chicken I'd say.. If she loves to cuddle with you and is affectionate towards you, then by all means, if she doesnt seem uncomfortable with you petting her while she's laying, go for it... but if she recedes when you reach your hand out or if she overall isn't the most cuddly chicken, I'd leave her alone..
Personally, I leave all my girls alone.. even the cuddly ones.. they like their privacy and plus half the time whoever is laying has about two of my other girls in their cheering her on, so I leave them alone.. if i want to be there with the new layers i will sit outside of their coop and wait for them to be done and sometimes sneak them a few mealworms

 

[Sara Ranch]

Lol - I have one gal that use to sing to the troops as they laid eggs. (This was prior to the great snake event of last week.) And other girls go in and will do the egg song if they think someone's been hogging THE nesting box too long. (There are more than enough nesting boxes for the girls. They just have fav boxes to lay in. And sometimes there's a line of girls waiting.) I have had roosters go in and patrol while the girl is doing her business.

I personally try to stay away from the boxes when they are laying. I have two "houses" that girls lay eggs in. In one, I put up curtains (translates to rags as curtains) so the girls could have privacy. I haven't done it in the other one yet. I'll be relocating my girls in the next week or so, then will consider the curtains (aka rags) if they seem to need it.

I encourage the roosters to leave the girls alone. My girls seem to take a LOT longer in the box if a rooster is around.

 

[Chickassan]

I don't think I would want to go pet my ladies while they are laying. The look on their faces does not say come pet me in any sort of way.

 

[apryl29]

Lol - I have one gal that use to sing to the troops as they laid eggs. (This was prior to the great snake event of last week.) And other girls go in and will do the egg song if they think someone's been hogging THE nesting box too long. (There are more than enough nesting boxes for the girls. They just have fav boxes to lay in. And sometimes there's a line of girls waiting.) I have had roosters go in and patrol while the girl is doing her business.

I personally try to stay away from the boxes when they are laying. I have two "houses" that girls lay eggs in. In one, I put up curtains (translates to rags as curtains) so the girls could have privacy. I haven't done it in the other one yet. I'll be relocating my girls in the next week or so, then will consider the curtains (aka rags) if they seem to need it.

I encourage the roosters to leave the girls alone. My girls seem to take a LOT longer in the box if a rooster is around.

Too funny... I saw this for the first time this past weekend. I had 3 ladies fighting over a box even though we have several of them to choose from. One actually crawled into the box and sat on top of another one! The one in the box is a new layer and it takes her a long time so she and the other one would take turns yelling at the other one to hurry up and my poor bantam just kept coming in and starring at them. Reminded me of my kids lined up to use the restroom! I'm going to try some curtains on the other boxes and see what happens. I have enough boxes for them all to have their own, but everyone is laying in the same one. I did put some marked eggs in a couple other boxes and it did work w/ one of them, but the majority still like the corner box.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Yeah, I have seen another hen climb in and try to share a nesting box. And neither hen wanted to be assisted out!

I have seen hens quickly get into a box and use their beaks to push the egg out of their way, to the corner of the box, so they could get comfy.

I have seen hens gather the eggs into one spot, then sit. They weren't really broody - they laid their egg and left.

Lol - I have so many "Chicken" stories! The best part is they bring warmth to my heart and a smile to my face.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I open the access door to the nest boxes and if a box is occupied, I leave it alone. GC