Why do my chickens sit on each other?

[Wattles]

Has any one else had this experience? I have two nestboxes but my girls fight over the one they like the best. For some reason, they occasionally sit on top of each other in the nestbox, trying to use it at the same time. Is that strange or what?

I took a video of it and you can see it here:

I would appreciate if anyone could offer any suggestions as to why they do this.

Thanks!
Tara

 

[Cheryl]

Because they can!

Seriously though they almost always want the same nest box. Others have said that their girls will wait, though impatiently, for "the" next box! I find it amusing!

 

[Buff Hooligans]

That is a real cute video. And sweet birds, for not minding being manhandled while they are intent on laying. Good looking too.

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

at least your girls use the nest boxes LOL mine lay in the shaving on the coop floor they pick the two back corners and in the middle so there is three spots and they all fight over these three spots in the coop

your birds are so pretty - love the decorations around the coop.


Julie

 

[airmom1c05]

That's funny! I have only 2 layers right now (the other two are in molt). Anyway...one is a mixed large hen and the other is a Serama bantam. The mixed chicken was my first, and she would prefer to be an only bird. The unusual behavior I have witnessed it that she always laid in her cat carrier laying/nest box until I built a shoebox for the bantam to lay. My big hen got stuck in the shoebox! I think she is jealous and determined to claim everything in the coop and pen.

 

[CrowinKing]

ya mine fight for the same nest box as well they'll all stand on the floor next to the box and cackle till they get in there. 6 nest boxes and they fight for 1 they are weird!!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

It's not weird at all. Mine do it all the time. You can try putting golfballs and fake eggs in the other nestboxes, in an attempt to try to 'trick' them into thinking that those other nests are 'suitable' as well.

It's not unusual at all, LOL, boys will be boys(fighting with eachother and over girls), and the girls will be girls(fighting over food and nestboxes)..

-Kim

 

[Wattles]

Oh thanks everybody. I was a bit embarrassed about this, thinking my chickens were behaving freakishly. Instead I come to learn that they're just being goofy regular chickens! It's funny you mention the fake eggs. I've had the fake eggs in from the start and now if I remove them, they won't lay and squawk until I put them back in. I think it's silly that I'll have to keep fake eggs in my nestboxes permanently. Good grief. Oh, another funny thing they both do is roll the fake egg from the other nestbox over to their favorite nestbox before they'll lay. They have to be sitting on 2 fake eggs before they feel comfortable enough to lay! Goofy! Thank you for the compliments on my video and on my girls. I am rather proud of them - they were the only survivors of a dog attack that got 3 of my others. They are my treasured tough little girls.

Tara

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

mind if i submit that to www.icanhascheezburger.com?

 

[Morgaine]

How cute!