Too many chickens in a nest!!!

[countrybum]

Well to everyones discouragement about not allowing the babies access or removing the nest until older, my chickens are all different ages 2 1/2 months up to almost 2 years and I have never had a problem. Each has their way of doing things, but my babies move to the adult coop at 2 1/2 months, they are tossed in and everyone does well. As for poop on eggs, keep the nesting boxes cleaned out and you do not have that problem. It takes me 2 minutes to clean out a box and it is well worth it to me.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

If you don't mind cleaning the nestboxes out every day, then you don't have to change anything you're doing, but I have one idea that you might want to consider;

You can go out after dark and remove the babies from the nest boxes and place them on the roosts. After about a week of this, they should start roosting all on their own with the big girls.

I've only cleaned my boxes once since they started laying in March because there has never been any poop in them (none at all). I mix DE in their nestbox shavings to keep mites & lice from taking up residence.

Even if you want to change the bedding more often, at least you wouldn't have to do it daily, plus you'll save money on shavings.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Quote:
I just re-read your original question - I didn't read it right the first time.

So.. has one particular hen been laying on these eggs for the past two weeks while other hens are adding eggs to the nest? Or... are all four of these hens broody? Broody hens sharing a nest is an entirely different subject than egg laying hens sharing a nest.

If you have a broody hen, then you do need to keep the other hens out - let us know, so we can help advise.