She needs her own private nesting box........?

[tdayman]

I think I have created a diva! I have 3 Red Sex Links that are about a year and a half old but I have only had them for about a month and a half.
My flock (if you can call 4 hens a flock) was attacked by a fox, we lost one and another one hads a huge gash in her side. I babied her back to health (she still has a big scab under her wing, I am keeping an eye on). I was keeping her in a dog crate in the garage at night, and letting her free range with the others during the day; when I could keep my eyes on them and make sure she wasn't being pecked. She never stopped laying eggs, and I had a make shift nest/flower pot in the dog crate for her to lay in. The other night I put her back in the coop with the other girls. They were fine except when my husband went to let them out in the morning she was clucking and carrying on like a crazy. He let them out and she ran straight across the yard and started pecking on the garage door. He put her back in the coop and she went crazy. I went out and put her in a nest and closed the door to the nest box part of the coop (the coop is really small). She clucked and carried on again. I let her out and she ran to the garage. I let her in the garage and she ran straight for the dog crate. I let her in the dog crate and went to get the nesting box she had been using while in there. I put it in and she organized the hay, calmed down and laid an egg. Now every morning she runs for the garage and we let her in to do her thing.
I have put the flower pot/nest in the coop with them at night thinking she might use the more familiar nest but she won't use it. I would really like to put away the dog crate in the garage, but now I have a hen who uses it as her own private egg laying suite! I can play tough and just lock her in the nesting box part of the coop until she lays an egg. I am just scared if she holds it, it will make her egg bound.
Any suggestions..........?

 

[Judy]

I wonder if she is more interested in the nest or the dog crate. If she still has a scab then she might feel vulnerable, and prefer to hide from the rest, to avoid being attacked. I don't think I would take the dog crate and nest away from her til she was ready to give them up, or at least til she is fully healed. Can you perhaps put the dog crate next to the coop, perhaps with a tarp over it to protect from weather? Or maybe put it closer to the coop than it is but outside the garage, as a way of gradually getting her back to the coop?

 

[tdayman]

That sounds good. I was going to leave her in the coop at night and let her out to go to the garage in the morning (like she has been doing the last couple of days). Take the dog crate away but leave her flower pot in the garage, and move just the flower pot closer to the coop everyday. I am just scared if I put the crate outside something will carry it away with her in it.:/

 

[realsis]

hi I have a similar situation. I keep my chickens inside at night until I build a bigger house for them next month. they have a hen house its just really small but they have a big run that's attached. well my head hen usually lays in the morning before she goes out. well the other afternoon she was acting like she wanted to lay she hadn't laid that morning. she would go into the nesting box In the hen house then run out frantically to the door of the run. I thought I'd try to get her to lay in the nest box but this behavior went on for about an hour then my husband and I decided it might be best to bring her inside because we did not want her to become bound either. within ten minutes of being inside she laid her egg. so I know exactly what your going through. I guess we should just let them lay where they are comfortable although I'm really hoping mine will use the nesting box sooner or later.

 

[tdayman]

Glad to know I am not alone. I will let you know the out come. Crazy Chickens!!!!

 

[tdayman]

This morning she laid in the coop. I went out to let them out, and she went over to the garage. She wasn't all stressed and crazy like before. I let her into the garage where her flower pot was but I had taken the dog crate away. She wouldn't get in the flower pot. I picked her up and put her in the flower pot and put them in the coop. She stayed and laid her egg. Hopefully it continues!!