smartrus Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 In my chicken shed I have 4 large nest boxes. However, for some reason all the chickens use the same one! I have 10 chooks and so some days there is quite a pile and they still insist on sitting on them all. It can't be comfortable! One day we were out and missed the egg collection, the next day there were 26 eggs in a pyramid in the box! How they laid the ones on top is beyond me! Any ideas why they leave the other boxes empty?? Should I just take the other boxes out?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I guess you could try encouraging them to use other nest boxes like when a hen starts to lay, by have a couple of eggs in other nest boxes?? I used dummy eggs to encourage mine last year as Molly was laying her eggs in the run! I wouldn't remove the nest boxes, because if you get a broody who's fiesty she wont let others lay!!! Then you'll have a lot of curffle and noise!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 it must be a survival instinct or something to do with the pecking order left over from thier wild ancesters were only the top hen hacthed the brood so lower ranking hens would lay in the top hens nest to try to get thier gentic make up into the flock. my mob have access to 3 coops with unlimited nesting spots when they are all free ranging but they will all try to lay in the current nesting spot in the main coop which is alright as long as my CLB,gold legbar and my welmar have laid or don't need to lay because those 3 wil not share with anyone. and they will complain at the top of thier lungs if the nest is in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smartrus Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 mmmm interesting aren.t they funny old things I shall try to move some of the eggs into other boxes to see if that helps. I have since found 3 eggs in the straw bale in the shed!! I ask you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Because they are chickens, mine lay on top of each other in a great wobbly feathery pile, even though the other side of the nest box is the same!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simondegaris Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 It's their survival instinct. If others have laid they know it's safe, once they've laid there and they know it's ok they return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I used to have double decker hens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I always assumed that it was because they have an instinct to make clutches. Like if you have a trio all the hens will lay their eggs for a few days in one place then one goes broody and sits. even if you don't place a hen on eggs it often isn't just her eggs she's hatching. I don't think it's just a survival thing, that's what has always made sense to me though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs_B Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Naughty chooks I say try the dummy eggs in the other nest boxes too! When I had 5 hens together, they all piled on top of each other in the nest box at night and I have never been able to convince them to perch Good luck! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
