Two questions!!!

[MuddyBootsPA]

Hello everyone,

This is my first go around with backyard chickens. I have two behaviors that I have questions about.

#1. I have a hen named Charley who is very shy. She has always been this way. She was the smallest in the group & her tail feathers have not come in to the same height & fullness as the other girls. She is healthy (I always check her for bugs or other problems) but I am not sure she is happy. In the mornings when I let down the coop door to go into the run, she always hangs behind. When I check on them during the day, she is always up in the coop while the other hens are down in the run happily pecking away. Sometimes she will join them, but not all the time. She isn't brooding when she is up there. She just walks around normally. She never seems to enjoy it when I let her free range and she is the most skiddish of the group. I am guessing she may be the lowest in the pecking order, but I would like to see her more happy. Is she depressed?? How can I help her out so she is happier hen?

#2. I have six hens & two next boxes. From what I have read, the standard is one box for every 4 chickens, so technically the 2 I have should be more than enough. However, they will only use ONE of the boxes. They just started laying last week & I can't get them to lay in the 2nd box for the life of me! Any tips???

Thanks in advance for all the advice!

~ Boots

 

[lazy gardener]

Hello everyone,

This is my first go around with backyard chickens. I have two behaviors that I have questions about.

#1. I have a hen named Charley who is very shy. She has always been this way. She was the smallest in the group & her tail feathers have not come in to the same height & fullness as the other girls. She is healthy (I always check her for bugs or other problems) but I am not sure she is happy. In the mornings when I let down the coop door to go into the run, she always hangs behind. When I check on them during the day, she is always up in the coop while the other hens are down in the run happily pecking away. Sometimes she will join them, but not all the time. She isn't brooding when she is up there. She just walks around normally. She never seems to enjoy it when I let her free range and she is the most skiddish of the group. I am guessing she may be the lowest in the pecking order, but I would like to see her more happy. Is she depressed?? How can I help her out so she is happier hen?

#2. I have six hens & two next boxes. From what I have read, the standard is one box for every 4 chickens, so technically the 2 I have should be more than enough. However, they will only use ONE of the boxes. They just started laying last week & I can't get them to lay in the 2nd box for the life of me! Any tips???

Thanks in advance for all the advice!

~ Boots

Hi Boots. I'm by far not even close to an expert in chickendom, but re: the nest box situation, I wouldn't worry that they're not using the second box. Be happy that they're laying in any box! One of my pullets is currently laying under the perches. They've just started laying within the last week, and the first few eggs were laid in the run. Today, 2 girls were crowding into the same box at the same time. I have 5 girls and 2 boxes. I'm hoping that the one who is laying under the perches will learn by the good example of the other girls and start to use a box. Do you have any fake eggs or golf balls that you can put in the nest boxes? If you have not yet done so, you might put a couple of "fakes" in the un-used box.

 

[MuddyBootsPA]

shamelessly bumping...

Anyone else have any other ideas on these two questions???