Rooster hanging out in nesting box?

[MissHenrietta]

I have a 6 month-old Leghorn Rooster that has been hanging out on and off in one of my girls’ favorite nesting boxes. This morning I walked out and he was sitting on 2 eggs. Can roosters be broody? Is this a thing? lol None of my hens are broody at all. Is there something else I should be concerned about? He seems very healthy. Another time, one of my hens climbed into the box and he got right in there with her. I’m still pretty new to this whole chicken owner thing, so maybe this is normal behavior, but it just seems odd to me

 

[Fishkeeper]

No, roosters can't go broody. Possibly he just thinks the box is a comfortable place to sit, or he's trying to take care of his girls.

 

[Trish1974]

I have a 6 month-old Leghorn Rooster that has been hanging out on and off in one of my girls’ favorite nesting boxes. This morning I walked out and he was sitting on 2 eggs. Can roosters be broody? Is this a thing? lol None of my hens are broody at all. Is there something else I should be concerned about? He seems very healthy. Another time, one of my hens climbed into the box and he got right in there with her. I’m still pretty new to this whole chicken owner thing, so maybe this is normal behavior, but it just seems odd to me

Does he make any sounds while he's doing this? My cockbird will do that (in front of the hens), making soft purring sounds and arranging the straw as if he is showing them where to lay. (Little does he know they were laying there before he was even born ). I find this to "gentleman-ly" behavior.

 

[sourland]

Roosters will select a nest box and call the hens to it while scratching and forming a nest as @Trish1974 has suggested.

 

[azygous]

Yes, some roosters, depending on breed, can decide to incubate eggs along with a hen as well as assist in brooding them. @centrarchid had a rooster do this and documented it. (I can't find this thread, though)

This charming rooster behavior - wanting to participate in nesting with the hens - is normal behavior and pretty common. I'd go so far as to claim it's probably as common as tid-bitting to attract the girls.

 

[Shadrach]

I think the most likely explanation is he is trying to encourage the hens to sit.

 

[Chickassan]

Yes some roosters just make and sit on nests. It is one of the better things they can do with their time. The one here is nutty about it, any new hay I put out gets a nest pronto! He's quite a nuciance during coop cleaning as he won't wait until i'm finished.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I've seen roosters rear chicks once they are hatched, but I've never seen one go broody and set on eggs.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Roosters will find "good places to lay an egg" and the sit there, scratch, make little clucking noises, to draw the hens over.

 

[red horse ranch]

This may not apply but sometimes roosters will hide in a nest box when they are afraid of something. Such a a mean hen or another rooster.