Refusing to share coop while laying

[pastypascoe]

I have 2 girls, one a welsummer who we have had almost a year, and one a speckled sussex who joined us about 4 months ago. Both only recently started to lay (about 2-3 months ago) but refuse to share the coop when egg laying even though it has 3 nest boxes. They always insist on using the same nest box, and if it is already occupied there is a lot of running around the yard, desperately shouting and searching for a new spot to lay before running back to the coop and turfing out the occupant, who then also proceeds to do the shouting/screaming routine. This can go on for at least an hour some mornings! All the nest boxes are clean so there is no obvious reason they should avoid the others. I have even removed the nest box separators in the hope they might be tricked into thinking it was the same big nest box. Would another nest box (such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/Miller-Manuf...587059071&sprefix=chicken+nest,aps,230&sr=8-3) put elsewhere in the garden maybe work? Any way I can train them to each use their own nest box in the coop?

 

[rosemarythyme]

No matter how many nest boxes you have, there's usually one or two that become the favorite, and in this case, they both have chosen the same one.

If you don't already have fake eggs in the nest boxes, spreading some around between the boxes might help convince one of them to give a different box a try.

 

[Celeste Cannon]

Yeah, fake eggs or another nesting box outside of the coop would be good (maybe a doghouse). Good luck!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I have eight hens and six, large nest boxes. They ALL use the same one!

 

[pastypascoe]

I will give the fake eggs a go and if that fails I will put up a new nest box elsewhere. I (and undoubtedly my neighbours!) am very grateful for the suggestions, thank you! Does anybody know roughly how long after putting a fake egg in place it takes for them to catch on? Just want to make sure I persevere for long enough!

 

[Angileen]

I add fake eggs in my nest boxes, It helps a lot with the bickering!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I will give the fake eggs a go and if that fails I will put up a new nest box elsewhere. I (and undoubtedly my neighbours!) am very grateful for the suggestions, thank you! Does anybody know roughly how long after putting a fake egg in place it takes for them to catch on? Just want to make sure I persevere for long enough!

It should only take a few days. Mine all love to steal eggs, even the fake ones, to sit on while they’re in the nest box. I have one pullet who hatched out last May and I loaded up all the boxes with fake eggs when she was learning her craft. Did not make a danged bit of difference to her - she decided that she’s going to lay in the same box as the other seven hens!

My girls are just plain NOISY in the mornings! They’re not even really bickering, they’re just bitching! And the majority of them take FOREVER to settle down in the nest box... The neighbors are quite a ways away, but can still hear them (and me, singing to them!). They don’t mind tho, they’ve all had chickens in the past and we keep them stocked with fresh eggs!

 

[Angileen]

It should only take a few days. Mine all love to steal eggs, even the fake ones, to sit on while they’re in the nest box. I have one pullet who hatched out last May and I loaded up all the boxes with fake eggs when she was learning her craft. Did not make a danged bit of difference to her - she decided that she’s going to lay in the same box as the other seven hens!

My girls are just plain NOISY in the mornings! They’re not even really bickering, they’re just bitching! And the majority of them take FOREVER to settle down in the nest box... The neighbors are quite a ways away, but can still hear them (and me, singing to them!). They don’t mind tho, they’ve all had chickens in the past and we keep them stocked with fresh eggs!

I have a few of those bitchy hens! Squawking at nothing! My Midnight Majesty Marans are the worst!And when I talk to them to settle them down they get worse!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

@Angileen mine do too!! They’re such funny little birds! My Salmon Faverolle sounds just like an old Model T Ford starting up!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

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