Solitary chicken - need advice

[AndyRoo]

Hello,

 

In our nesting box we use dust extracted hay/straw as the 'padding', but I've noticed over the last 2 days that the 2 Legbars are standing underneath the cube and jumping up and pulling the straw down and then kicking it around in the wood chip directly below.

 

Are they forming some diabolical scheme I should know about, or do they think it's a game?

 

I thought for a second they might be trying to build their own nest, but if they are, they're making a very poor job of it.

 

Maybe I need to get them some toys or something.

[sjp]

they might have found a bit of left over grain in there so are looking for more

[grahamrhind]

Had they just laid? After mine have laid they walk out of the nesting box and start picking up bits of straw and flinging them nonchalantly over their shoulders for a couple of minutes before losing interest. I think it's some sort of nascent nesting behaviour.

[AndyRoo]

Had they just laid? After mine have laid they walk out of the nesting box and start picking up bits of straw and flinging them nonchalantly over their shoulders for a couple of minutes before losing interest. I think it's some sort of nascent nesting behaviour.

 

It wasn't one of those two, but when I went out a egg had been laid. Like you've just said: it's like they decided to 'decorate' and have now lost interest.

[The Dogmother]

It's just a habit forming exercise; chickens are prone to becoming obsessed with repetitive actions.

 

I would suggest using Aubiose in the nest box instead