why do my hens lay in the same nests

[msmith2346]

All my hens lay their eggs in the same nests. Can someone explain why. Am i doing something wrong

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
Nope your not doing a thing wrong!! They figure out one they like and their usually pretty consistent. They are definetly creatures of habit!! I have 10-15 that they in the same box everyday! I have 8 nest boxes!

 

[sammyh312]

lmao...no idea. my birds usin one box everyday. gave em four to choose from and they picked the far left while i left a fake egg in box number two. for whatever reason after two dry weeks, my RIR dropped one today in the box with the fake egg, a box theyd never used before. fake egg wasnt new either, and is always in one box or another and is only in there for grins when my son isnt playing with it. you'll never figure out whats in a chickens mind

 

[write2caroline]

It is a girl thing - They see a nest with a lot of bling (other eggs) and will think that that must be the place and join the gang.

Mess with them - next time you clean out your nest boxes put a bunch of golf balls in the nest you want them to lay more eggs and see what happens. I also sometimes will move eggs from one nest to another and they will follow suit and lay eggs in the eggbox I am promoting.

Caroline

 

[msmith2346]

thank yall i was worried that i was doin something wrong

:0).

 

[Fred's Hens]

Two things, I believe, but I'm just basing this on years and years of observation.

First, the "clutch" is made and if one hen's eggs get put into that clutch, if someone goes broody, their DNA gets passed on. In other words, nature's attempt at preservation.

Second, this has something to do with pecking order. If the Queen Bea uses a particular box, they all seem to want to use that box too.

 

[poseygrace]

So true... Mine all prefer the far left box too. They get really worked up if they need to use the box and someone else is in there. They won't use any of the other three, they will stand there, boking until the box is "free." Crazy chickens!

 

[7L Farm]

Mine don't they all want seperate boxes.

 

[teamsunbelt]

Mine have 4 to choose from. 99% end up in one box. I have one aggressive nest cleaner that will kick out eggs to lay one in the same box. I started with golfballs in every nest. I took out 2, and kept moving the others. They always laid in a box with a ball, but never in 2 diferent boxes with balls. No golfballs, farthest box on the left gets them all.

 

[giggleboxfarm]

hmmm how many people's chickens prefer the farthest to the left? That is the one next to the wall on mine. Some days they aren't as snooty, but it never fails to have the most eggs in it.