The favorite nesting box

[WMassforestflock]

TL;DR: My chickens have a favorite nesting box. Why, and will it be a problem in the future?

I am new to chicken keeping. Our six pullets (2 Speckled Sussex, one each Buff Orpington, Cinnamon Queen, Easter Egger, and Wyandotte, from Cackle Hatchery) are seven months old and are all laying. When they were around four months, my husband and daughter made the peaked nesting box in the picture. When three chickens began laying, I ordered the second nesting box on Etsy ($26 including personalization and shipping!). The chickens will only use the homemade one.

The interiors of the two boxes are about the same dimensions (within about an inch). Both have straw in the bottom. I previously had them side by side at the same height. This week my husband came up with the theory that chickens like to fly to their nesting boxes (not sure where he heard this?), so he mounted the new one higher up, as in this picture. The chickens are pastured in my back yard including against the house, and this particular area is beneath an overhang where the second story projects over the back yard on pylons, so it is partially protected from the elements. As you can see, the area is also used for storage. We are in Massachusetts, where the weather has been in the 30s (Fahrenheit, just above freezing) the last two weeks. We have not tried putting a golf ball or decoy egg in the unused box.

So... is there an obvious reason why the birds would prefer one box over the other? Will it cause problems? What if we expand our flock? (We're planning to get three more chicks in the spring, so this is thinking out a ways about having nine layers.) We've not yet had any broken eggs or fights over this box that I know of. Are there any other changes you think we should try to get them to 'spread the love'?

Thank you in advance for your reflections, experienced chicken lovers!

P.S. Gratuitous egg shot just because it's still so exciting!

 

[SueT]

Try putting some of their freshly laid eggs into new box, before everyone has laid for the day. They will notice this and think, hmmm, so we're all using this box? Do it for several days in a row, and see if you can convince them. I did this, and it worked too well...they abandoned the old favorite, and began squabbling over the new box!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Love the egg shot. I just like that attitude.

My chickens have a favorite nesting box. Why, and will it be a problem in the future?

Probably not. It's pretty normal for hens to have a favorite nest. Many of us get all or most of their eggs in one nest even with others empty. There are plenty of times I see three hens crowded into one nest with other nests empty. As long as yours are working it out I don't see a problem.

I have no idea what makes one nest preferred. I have four nests, two high and two low. Sometimes the top left is the favorite, sometimes the bottom right. Or one of the others. A favorite tends to stay a favorite for a while, but then they will switch for no apparent reason. I hate to call anything typical, but it's not unusual for me to see 4 or 5 eggs in one nest, 2 in another, and 1 by itself. But that can vary day-to-day some.

If you want to try to spread the love, put a fake egg in the one they are not using. It may help, it may not. I'd try it. Some people will try to tell you that all hens like this type of nest or that. Their hens might but mine don't seem to. When mine decide to make a nest somewhere other than in my nests they might choose a dark well-hidden spot or they might choose a pretty open well-lit spot. About the only thing I find consistent about chickens and their wants is that they are inconsistent. and love to do what you would not expect.

When you get the three others that probably will be too many for that one nest. Pullets tend to learn where to lay from the older hens but not all do that. Some may move to the other nest or even create their own nest when the pullets start to lay.

Another possible problem could be if a hen goes broody. Many broody hens will let another hen in the nest to lay an egg with them but some don't. So you might or might not have issues if one goes broody.

Even if they are not now using it I think having a second nest gives you some redundancy even if they aren't using it now.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Looking at the picture. I wouldn't use the new nest either if I was a hen.
It's too bright. Chickens like a dark place to lay. I would paint the inside dark brown and see if that helps, but it may not be enough.
It also doesn't have enough height. Your homemade box is much higher and better. Chickens stand up as egg is coming out. Another 3 to 4 inches taller may also be needed.
I would also put it on something like the other nest or put a perch about 4 inches out in front.
No way a chicken could fly into that nest as is. GC

 

[Chirpchirp19]

When my grandmother passed away we ended up buying her house and she used to have a horse in the barn. We have been converting the barn into a coop and run. In the "coop" part there is still the horses feed dish that is nailed up in the corner, and the girls have fallen in love with it. They will perch up on the wall waiting for whomever to finish, or two or three will jump in there and all lay together. Never saw or heard any squabbles.

I agree with the advice above and darken that nesting box and possibly making it taller if you could. Try golf balls or like someone said above, their own eggs to see if they will get the hint, but I would work on fixing up the new one first.

Good luck!

 

[Shadrach]

It seems to me that once one hen has decided a particular nesting box is good then word gets around and they will all want to use it.
There are a lot of strange ideas about what hens like as a nesting box and what gives the best results if the hen sits and hatches.
It seems from observing the hens here that the most important aspect of any nesting box is whether they consider it safe.
Over time, another thing that I would love to know the answer to is if a hen sits and hatches chicks in a particular nesting box, once again word gets around and that box becomes the box that the chicks come out of, put in simple terms.
It is also worth mentioning that what is okay for laying eggs in isn't always suitable for sitting and hatching in.
Scientists write that for the best hatching outcome, the eggs need to receive natural light.
There are studies on the net if you are interested.
This article is about what I've found with the chickens here with regard to nest boxes and hatching.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...e-make-a-sitting-hens-job-so-difficult.74389/

 

[rosemarythyme]

This week my husband came up with the theory that chickens like to fly to their nesting boxes (not sure where he heard this?), so he mounted the new one higher up, as in this picture.

We have not tried putting a golf ball or decoy egg in the unused box.

1) I'd put fake eggs in both boxes.
2) No they don't need to fly up to a nest box (all 3 of my boxes get used):


Your higher nest box is currently unusable... there's nothing for the birds to land on even if they tried to fly up. Also as cute as the shape is, it's not chicken friendly. The entrance hole is much smaller than the other one, and it is likely too short heightwise as well so the chickens can't easily stand up in there.

To me the simplest answer is have your hubby make more of the same box that is already being used, since it's clear the birds like it.

 

[aart]

If you want to try to spread the love, put a fake egg in the one they are not using.

Yeppers! Fake eggs work great here.

It seems from observing the hens here that the most important aspect of any nesting box is whether they consider it safe.

Exactly!


@WMassforestflock I'd put the high nest at the same level as the lower one.....and add a fake egg to each....then be patient, any changes can throw them off so some 'wait time' is necessary.

 

[sourland]

I agree with staining or painting the new nest darker. It might work even though a 'favorite' site always seems to happen.

 

[aart]

I agree with staining or painting the new nest darker.

Just came back to add this.
Best, IMO, if nests are similar in size, shape, location...and 'color'.