Rooster in the nest box. Why?

[rachelcb80]

I have a roughly 2 year old Buff Orpington rooster. I bought him about a year ago and put him in with my 8 RIR hens. This summer my hens laying declined quite a bit (they were about 2 1/2 years old) so I caught them all and gave them to a neighbor. (I was going to put them in the freezer but I still have quite a few in the freezer from a batch I hatched out specifically for meat. My neighbor wanted them for the few eggs they still were laying so off they went.) This left my rooster alone for a few days before I bought replacement hens. I started finding him often in the nest boxes, middle of the day when he could be out free ranging. I had never seen him there before. I chalked it up to being lonely and maybe traumatized? (if that's possible for a chicken) I brought in 8 Buff Orp. hens that should be laying in a few weeks. He was very excited, did his wing, circle, dancing routine and went about life. All is well except I still find him often in the nest boxes. What is his deal? I'd be inclined to think that maybe it was just comfortable and that was his reason, but it's hot still here (MS) and the hen house is much warmer (despite all windows being open) than outside in the shade. He's panting while sitting in there while the hens are comfortably sitting in the shade outside not panting. I don't guess there's any reason to be concerned, it just seems like such odd behavior.

 

[Farm_Maven]

Could be he's trying to show the hens where the "good" nests are. But I'm stumped as to why he was doing that while he was alone. Could be he just felt more secure.
And

Where in MS are you? I'm in Tishomingo. NE corner of MS.

 

[Want Less]

My Marans rooster did this earlier this year. He's in with a flock, and sometimes I caught him in there alone, sometimes I caught him trying to get in a nest with a hen. He even started mimicking the hens' "egg song" at one point. I decided he was confused and secretly wanted to lay eggs (lol)

This went on for a couple months and finally he stopped. I dont know what started it or what stopped it.

 

[rachelcb80]

Quote:
I'm down in Raleigh (Smith County), about 45 miles east of Jackson. Glad to see another MS member!

He first started doing it while alone and I figured maybe he was lonely and slightly winged out from losing all the hens. He was overly friendly in those few days, hanging out right next to the kids and me while we were outside. But I can't understand why he would still be in there now with these new hens unless he's doing like you said and instructing them as to where they need to put eggs.

 

[Farm_Maven]

One day last week my BR roo Mylo was in a nest box, chatting away, surrounded by several hens in a group watching him. Most of them still didn't listen to his instruction and still lay in coop or run, lol.