Picky Nesters

[OperationHatch]

We have 15 chicken that all want to lay in the same two lay boxes. We have blocked access to these boxes, but then they pick two other boxes and lay there. Anyone else see this? so many chickens laying in just two boxes. We get a lot of broken eggs this way. Any suggestions?

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I have 10 boxes and only 6 hens, right now, more to come in the spring. I have one box that is the "popular" box. Usually 3 eggs in that one then one in the others. My only advice is collect eggs 3 times a day, morning, mid day, and evening.

 

[OperationHatch]

ok, so this is pretty common then. We do have less boxes than chickens (about 8 for our 15 chickens) and they are not consitent in their timing. I do go out and grab them frequently to prevent cracking, but it's not always possible.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

My boxes are 16Wx14Hx18D. The other day I had 2 squeezed into the "popular" box. I had to grab one and put her into another one, she did lay there but I think she is back to the first one. They are funny/weird creatures.

 

[OperationHatch]

yeah, i have seen some laid on the edge of one box (probably because someone was in it). Some days it's an Easter Egg hunt because mine are free range. There was one day last year that I heard a loud commotion behind the house... it was a hen laying behind a large bush - found 18 eggs there... who knows how long she had been using that spot!