Will chickens go elsewhere if their nest is occupied?

[ecc]

Hi all,

Chicken life is good here in Elbow Canyon. All three of our chicks are indeed chickens and they've all been laying for a couple months or so, pretty consistently every day.

I've looked through the forums and it seems somewhat normal that, even though we have 3 nesting boxes, the chicks will only use one - same one every time. There are fake eggs in all three but they'll only use the one. I've even seen them apparently waiting their turn to use the one nesting box, when the others are open for business.

For about 4 days now I'm not finding eggs from one of the chicks. They're a different color so I know which chick's eggs. Today I couldn't find her and she didn't come when I called. Usually they'll all come running for treats when I call them, unless they're laying. So when the one chick didn't come and then showed up later it made me think she's laying somewhere outside the coop if the nesting box she wants is occupied.

We are very much in the wilds out here and I sure don't want a stack of eggs somewhere attracting predators and scavengers.

I'm hoping you wise experienced people have some suggestions for 1) finding where she's laying (if that's the case); and 2) getting her to go back to the coop to lay.

Thanks!
-Todd

 

[lcwmt]

Hi all,

Chicken life is good here in Elbow Canyon. All three of our chicks are indeed chickens and they've all been laying for a couple months or so, pretty consistently every day.

I've looked through the forums and it seems somewhat normal that, even though we have 3 nesting boxes, the chicks will only use one - same one every time. There are fake eggs in all three but they'll only use the one. I've even seen them apparently waiting their turn to use the one nesting box, when the others are open for business.

For about 4 days now I'm not finding eggs from one of the chicks. They're a different color so I know which chick's eggs. Today I couldn't find her and she didn't come when I called. Usually they'll all come running for treats when I call them, unless they're laying. So when the one chick didn't come and then showed up later it made me think she's laying somewhere outside the coop if the nesting box she wants is occupied.

We are very much in the wilds out here and I sure don't want a stack of eggs somewhere attracting predators and scavengers.

I'm hoping you wise experienced people have some suggestions for 1) finding where she's laying (if that's the case); and 2) getting her to go back to the coop to lay.

Thanks!
-Todd

I am interested in the responses to your question too. One of our girls has done almost the same thing. She's alive and well and regularly present but her eggs are not. She was the first to lay and was on a daily schedule... first in a flower bed, then out alongside a fence structure, in tall grass. She moved to the second spot after I'd removed her eggs from the first nest. Then she started using a nesting box. Good girl. Now she's laying someplace else and i cannot find it. The only thing I can think of to do is close everybody in for 2-3 days. but that seems extreme.... at least until the weather turns. We are almost hoping for another snow so I can follow her tracks (she's the only Banty).

 

[Chickassan]

In my experience if the favorite nest is occupied they wait and don't attempt to lay anywhere else. If it's too long of a wait they squeeze in together even though there are other nests.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

What I would do here is confine them all for a week,
maybe let them range late in the day after a few days.
Block off the favorite nest...'forcing' them to change their habits.

BUT, first...tell us about your coop and run, size in feet by feet.
Pics would be most helpful...of coop/run inside and out.
How old are your birds... and how long have they been laying?

Oh, and, BTW. Pullets, cockerels, hens, cocks(roosters,cockbirds) are all chickens.
.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is also a good thing to note.

 

[ChuSayBok]

In my experience if the favorite nest is occupied they wait and don't attempt to lay anywhere else. If it's too long of a wait they squeeze in together even though there are other nests.

that is my experience also. Chu usually do what they see the other chu do.