WHy would my rooster do this?

[annie3001]

Hello.
So i hear alot going on inside the coop today. everyone was in/out all day, while i was working outside. When i opened the coop to check it out, i saw 2 hens and the (only) rooster in 1 nesting box???

what the heck. i moved the rooster out, i wasnt sure why he would go in their? were the hens fighting?

and he was the break-up guy? i dunno.

anything like this ever happen to you? especially with the roo? oh oh I didnt get an egg from either girl. drats.

btw: i know its common for hens to share a nesting box.. but the rooster????

 

[Lil_Miss_Farmer_Chick]

Sometimes a rooster will go up to the next boxes to let the hens know that it's a good place lay. Silly roosters.....My little D'uccle does it all the time.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

My silly boy Scooter will get in the nesting box clucking and cooing to the girls too...and even "fluff" the shavings therein...

Totally normal: either showing encouragement, or a trans gender moment.

 

[EELover]

Did you put a sign on the box saying "hens only"? My chickens (roosters and hens) sleep in the nesting boxes. They are very curious creatures and they like to check things out all the time. If your rooster sees your hens going in there, maybe he thinks its the best place to be.

 

[annie3001]

okay ,, thats good. not worried about his strange behavior. hes so good to the ladies, so loving.

 

[Pinky]

Yep, nothing to worry about. My RIR and WLH rooster always show the new hens the best places to lay, even if it's in a toolbox

 

[Kim_NC]

I've had roos - past and present - who either get in the nest box or stand outside the nestbox and coo or 'talk' to the hens. It's their way of encouraging the ladies. That's a good roo....a keeper!

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Exactly! My dominant roo is so sweet that way. He has gone into nest boxes ahead of pullets and made all these lovely encouraging sounds, scratched in the shavings, turned around in the box, and jumped out, only to stand by when those pullets check out the nest box.

Yesterday, a senior hen found a box full of crumpled paper she thought was good. Laid her egg in it, sang The Egg Song. Carl came up on the porch to see what was going on. A young pullet followed. Carl looked in the box, tilted his head, sidled around to check it out from another side, then GOT INTO the box and turned around in it. Apparently it was a good spot to him, too. He hopped out, then cooed and encouraged the pullet to try it out. By the end of the day, there were five eggs nestled in the packing paper in that box.

Not only is it okay behavior, it is positively great behavior for a roo.

 

[tinychicky]

haha, my cochin does it all the time, trying the hens to lay there. they mostly just ignore him. i thought he must feel pretty stupid sitting in there like a broody, but how should i know? maybe sitting in nest boxes is a "manly" thing to do in the chicken world

ETA: this is kinda off topic, but i noticed you lived in connecticut. i was wondering of maybe you were going to the university of connecticut chicken show? so far only a few people on byc are, and i'm trying to recruit more! https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5742294#p5742294 heres a link to the thread if you're thinking about it!

 

[annie3001]

Quote:
omg i totally forgot about the show.. i might go!!! ill go and check on the other link. thanks for the reminder.