Too many chickens in a nest!!!

jrhodes

In the Brooder
11 Years
Nov 14, 2008
42
0
32
Central Texas
I have 4 hens trying to sit in the same nest.
There are 13 eggs in the nest. Should I just let them be or should I change something? The eggs should hatch in about a week.
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I have to eventually get my nesting boxes boxed in, but here are my girls (some of them). Mahonri may have a point though, almost all of the ones they sit on get rotten and rarely hatch, but I can hatch almost all of the ones I put in the incubator.

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It might depend on the size of the nestbox. But sometimes it is better to let nature take its own course. I think this is a situation where it is really up to you and what you feel is best for everyone involved.
 
Quote:
I'm sooooooooooo thrilled to find this thread. We have 4 RIR and 3 BR, they are 9 wks old and they all crowd into the same box every night. Should I just change their interior to a few really big boxes? ALSO they all seem to want just one particular corner?
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My concern is how in the world will they ever lay eggs all in one box?
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Or am I just a worry wort??
barnie.gif
THANKS in advance for your input..
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Quote:
I'm sooooooooooo thrilled to find this thread. We have 4 RIR and 3 BR, they are 9 wks old and they all crowd into the same box every night. Should I just change their interior to a few really big boxes? ALSO they all seem to want just one particular corner?
hu.gif
My concern is how in the world will they ever lay eggs all in one box?
hide.gif
Or am I just a worry wort??
barnie.gif
THANKS in advance for your input..
frow.gif


I might be totally wrong, but I thought you weren't supposed to let the young ones (not close to laying age) have access to the boxes in order to discourage sleeping in boxes that are for laying eggs in. We've removed the nest boxes from our coop until our girls get closer to starting to lay. They're about the same age (8-10 weeks) and they sleep on a roost bar. We're planning to put the nest boxes back in at 16 weeks and put fake eggs in them (for encouragement
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)

I'd love to hear other thoughts on this subject...
 
I agree with NashChic!!!

You shouldn't allow young chickens to have access to nests until they are of laying age. You will have poopy nests!!!

Your hens need to know that roosts are for sleeping and nests are for laying!! Don't confuse them! Block off the nests for the next couple of months so that they cannot get into them.

Good Luck!!

Cindy
 
If your eggs are getting poop on them, I would restrict the nesting to one hen. In the past I have set up big tubs with hay and taken a few eggs from the nest along with a hen and this pretty much solves the problem.

I set the tubs in the wire mesh stalls so the hens are safe at night.
I also set chick waterers in the tubs, but no food. I have a few broody hens right now and a few have dirty nests. Usually I find these do not hatch out. A clean and thoughtful hen will keep her babies safe and sound.
 

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