Hens want the same nest box - NEST WARS ! Warning: graphic footage of nest box behaviour
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- Опубліковано 14 тра 2017
- Why do hens all lay in the same nest box? If a hen comes into the nest box area to lay and sees an egg in one box, she wants to lay her egg there too. Why? Well, because if someone else laid their egg in that box, it must be the best one, of course!
Actually, although it might seem that the chickens are just following fashion and not making their own assessment and decisions, this is really part of chickens’ instinctive behaviour that makes good sense. Unlike some animals and even other species of birds, chickens lay their eggs in a communal nest, with the expectation that whichever hen broods the eggs and raises the chicks will do so regardless of whether or not she is their natural, genetic mother. It’s possible that having all the hens in a flock laying in one nest makes it quicker to accumulate enough eggs to make a clutch, which one hen will then start brooding. Leaving all the others free to start a new collection for the next clutch without being burdened by the job of raising the first clutch of chicks. And in nature the chickens in a flock will probably be quite closely related to each other, so the chicks that one hen is raising are probably her own offspring or those of her sisters or cousins.
So a hen who sees one or more eggs already in the box, is convinced that she should also lay right there, adding her egg to the precious collection.
If the nest is already occupied, then if she’s a lower rank than the hen laying, she will either wait her turn for the favoured nest box, anxiously returning and looking to see if the box is free yet, or she might decide she just can’t wait and settle for a similar box.
But if she’s a similar or higher rank in the pecking order as the hen currently laying in the box, she will just squeeze right in and proceed with her egg laying regardless of the poor hen who was there first.
There is an occasional nonconformist who will sneak off and find her own secret nest spot that no one else knows about and accumulate her own little collection of eggs. What I think is going on here is there are two different impulses in effect at the same time. One is to hide the eggs safe from egg-thieving predators. All chickens want to find such a secure nest, but in some hens this is the strongest instinct above all others.
The other instinct is to lay where the others lay, to accumulate a communal egg collection as quickly as possible and to minimise the work of raising the chicks by having one hen do the mothering duties for a whole clutch of chicks. For most hens this communal instinct is very strong, so if they see an egg already in a nest box, they are convinced that it must be the absolute best place to lay their egg there too.
Included is some amazing footage. The brown hen, her name is Shirley, has squeezed into the nest box where the white hen, Remy, was already resting after laying her white egg. Remy isn’t ready to leave yet so she just sits tight, but Shirley ignores her and goes ahead and lays her egg anyway. Shirley isn’t a hen who hangs around on the nest long once that egg laying job is done - she’s off to get a drink of water and find something to snack on, and Remy makes claim on Shirley’s brown egg too.
For more fascinating facts, hints and tips about caring for your chickens, and the sheer pleasure of chickens, subscribe to my channel: Chickens in my garden - New Zealand
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Catch up with me on Facebook / chickensinmygarden - Домашні улюбленці та дикі тварини
Thank you so much for this informative video. Now I know why my hens all want to lay in the same box. Love your videos!
+Karen Hancock Thank you. They seem silly sometimes and they are fun to watch, but there's usually a reason why they behave the way they do.
My girls utilize all 5 nest boxes I provide them. I collect eggs from each box daily. The trick is I added a ceramic artificial white egg to each box and it works beautifully when multiple hens want to lay at the same time. It's wonderful. 🐔🐓
Thanks for the tip!
Will the plastic be good?
@@LiquidSnake1988 plastic eggs are ok but fill them with sand so they are heavier. You can order the ceramic eggs on Ebay or amazon. Good luck!
We are brand new to chickens and have 4 hens that arent laying yet. What is the advantage of doing this versus just letting them do what they do? We are just trying to learn and weigh pros and cons. Thank you for any input :)
Umm, sorry, what do you mean by ' the advantage of doing this'? Doing what?
This video is just telling you how chickens behave, it doesn't advise you to do anything.
Are you asking about putting a fake egg into the nest box? Some people say it helps the hens to know where to lay, and that is probably true if you have all young pullets and no older hens. The disadvantage is that the fake eggs also encourage broodiness
I never saw a chicken lay eggs before, it was like watching a slot machine delivering a prize. Amazing! that was the child in me speaking then lol
J Watson It is amazing isn't it? That pinkness is the clean cover that ensures the egg is clean and not touched by chicken poo.
Chickens have two butts
Weird
Grandma always kept a fake nest egg in each box. A dead light bulb, a large egg-shaped rock, etc.
Of all the chicken channels,,,this tops all! Nothing against the others of course, but you dear lady, I love your style and how thorough you are at covering details! Not to mention including the nitty gritty of it all🐓💞🐓💞🐓💞🥚😊🥚😊🥚😊!
Thank you. I appreciate your saying so. 🙂🙏
So interesting to watch this, I can't get enough of it. Thank you for sharing !
A peek into the private life of chickens 🙂
They are fascinating aren't they.
Hello
I'm late to comment...
But l wanted to say that I appreciate your effort and dedication to making some of the more accurate and educational videos on here...
Without all the other nonsense..
I have been keeping chickens for 50 (?) Years...
Yikes!
Never saw a egg actually layed before....tthat must have taken a lot of editing...
Thanks!
From upstate New York!
And folks everywhere!
Mark
Thank you, Mark. I appreciate the feedback. Yes it took a bit of editing, but mostly patience on my part, sitting in the chook house waiting for the hen to lay, and tolerance on her part to ignore me while she got on with laying.
Some hen like to co-op check raising and nest with another, some hen likes to ninja strike chick and kill with one strike.
Another wonderfully helpful video, thank you!
Thank you. You never know what goes on in that nest box, do you?
Loved this video
Samba_Vocalize Thank you. I expect all chickens are when you get to know them.
Very nice! I've missed your videos :)
Dolly Perry Thank you. It takes me a while to make each one.
Thank you for the tips and helpful information. Just entering my second year of caring for egg laying ladies.
They are wonderful aren't they.
i have five sweet ladies and four have been laying in the same box. Now I know why and how to hopefully to give them more happy choices.
this is literally the best channel on youtube
Tabby M Wow! Thank you!
Hello fellow chicken
@@chickensinmygarden Tabby M is so right... especially in today's mad world. Also, Chooks-in-my gdn, you are totally charismatic- just a nice decent person!
Wow! What a lovely thing to say! You must be a lovely person too.
Have a wonderful day! 🙂
Remi looked at Shirley’s egg come out and thought “oh goodness is that what happens back there?” Then when Shirley finished she grabbed the egg. “ I’ll take that. Thanks Shirley, ByeBye now”😂😂 I love to watch your sweet chickens doing their chicken things. Great videos of course 🙂
Chickens are amazing and fascinating when we get to know them 🙂
Interesting. Why exploring for possibility of life on other planets. The lifespan we have is not long enough to find out what we really have on this earth. very interesting to watch. Thanks
Thank you.
Sholay48
I have Orpington's and two can't quite fit in one nesting box at a time so I often get eggs land just outside the nesting box in their house where their vent 'overhangs.' I had wondered why it was always the same nesting box.
I had 3 silkies hatch out a clutch of eggs and they all thought they were mom!
I wanted to thank you for the work you put into your channel. By watching your videos I was able make good decisions on how to set up my chicken housing here in Southern California. I’m using a covers carport like you and right now my husband and I are building a chicken coop exactly like yours. Nowadays folks are always making a munchkin coop. But I wanted a walk in from the get go. I even am using clear panels on the roof and a Dutch door like yours. I’m going to paint a house name on it too. (James Brown Lives Here cause my roo’s name is James Brown. ! You clearly have a lot of knowledge and get much enjoyment from your flock. That is the attitude towards backyard chooks I appreciate. I’m calling them chooks now too. The U.S. doesn’t really have an equivalent. Thank you again for your realistic and scientific channel. P.S. Cambridge is so pretty.
Thank you. What a wonderful comment! I'm sure James Brown and his friends are going to have a wonderful time with you.
Just one thought about the clear panels - they let lots of light in, which is great for all kinds of reasons, but there are trees overhead for shade to stop the coop turning into an oven in the summer sun. I'm just about to build another coop and this one will have the clear panels on the side, with a solid roof, because it will have no trees around it.
Thanks for commenting, and for watching 🙂
Once i saw 4 chickens in one nest box while there were two nest boxes. Apparently the eggs were there in the ONE nest box 😂😂😂
Aren't they funny 😊
I have 10 chickens with 5 boxes but everyday I get 10 eggs all in 1 box. Tried the fake egg and different bedding. Nope, they just love that 1 box. If I take out that box, they would just lay it on the floor where the box used to be. 🙄
Have you tried moving the eggs into one of the other boxes during the day? Maybe the next hens would lay in the box with the eggs.
This was so interesting!
Isn't it amazing what they get up to!
I could watch my chickens all day. My 6 month old plymouth rock bantam only started laying this week. When she laid her very first egg she almost seemed broody. She covered herself in hay and became very territorial of the nesting box. Screeching at everyone and pushing her friend down the ramp out of the coop. She tucked her egg & a fake egg in the nesting box under her chest.. she spent maybe 2 hours with the eggs before leaving. It was such a melodrama. She continued to come and go from the nesting box all day emitting grouchy cackling. But she's since laid another egg and she was so quiet & happy to return to her friends. Completely different behaviour. They're very entertaining creatures. She also selected the nesting box with a fake egg in it which is in line with that communal laying instinct.
Thank you. I am going to try that.
Chickens are always teaching us new things
@@chickensinmygarden we are new chicken owners and looking forward to getting our first eggs , we got the chickens young . I think they are due to lay in a couple of weeks . Will we need to use the fake eggs or will they still lay ? Thankyou for any tips.
Welcome to chicken world. I'm sure you're going to love it 🙂
Your chickens will find a cosy place to lay their eggs all by themselves but if you want to make sure that the place they pick is the nest box you planned for them, then a fake egg could help. It doesn't need to be too realistic - a golf ball would do, or you can just use a real purchased egg if that's easier (probably cook it first and definitely mark it so you know not to eat it)
Check out my video on designing the nest box 🙂
I've always wondered what egg laying looks like. Seems like it literally just pops out when she's ready
She squeezes it out with her internal muscles. Kind of like squeezing an apple pip between your finger and thumb.
Excellent, Thank You. Do You happen to know; How long it takes a chicken to lay an egg once she is ready and sitting ?
It varies a bit. Maybe 3 minutes, maybe 30 minutes. Some hens are quicker than others - probably they wait later to get on the nest. Some hens leave the nest immediately after laying and other hens settle down and nestle there for a while. As you can see the actual laying time, during which the hen is standing up, is just a minute or two.
awwww chickens are so cute and enjoyable, my astralorp just keeps clucking really loud, she wants out is what I gathered (out of the coop) then she will follow me to the gate and cluck really louds again and I think she is saying let me out of the gate to forage, but my chickens are being bad and going over to the neighbors woods to forage and I am sure they dont appreciate it especially if it riles up a dog or something or a child who just might chase them and follow them out of their own yard, but they are so cute.
They sure are! Yours sounds adorable.
That's why I love my golden comets and decide to get rid of other breeds which may be prettier are very loud screaming and dramatic.
Where my cinnamon queens lay early morning, quiet, fast, gigantic brown eggs, no fuss.
And they're super friendly and even jump on my back and eat snacks from my hands.
wow ..superb..
Thank you
It was so funny to me when the beige hen laid her egg next to the white hen and how the white gen was looking up the beige hens but ass the egg was coming out u was laughing so hard I almost peed myself 🤣🤣🤣
It was funny wasn't it. I wonder what she was thinking.
I thought only my chickens did this. lol
TheVikingmaiden Aren't chickens funny!
I always put fake egg in each nest box.
I like it
lmao! how cute! and it's like Human.... usually when we go out to eat, the one with the longest line must have the best food!!!
You are so right! It's exactly like that!
Then one starts sit
& they keep trying to lay more & more in same nest, then fight more than one wants to sit & you dont no who mom is
I only have 1 nest box for my 2 hens. I raise them since doc so i believe they were on the same rank? And yeah, they been share it nicely. They usually laid eggs at around the same time so they just wait their turn nervously. But im planning on making another nest box now as i read some articles saying that the next egg production only start after the previous one got laid so probably not the best idea to waste time for them to wait their turn on laying egg?
Hi there. No two hens will ever be of equal rank - there is always a pecking order (although they can change places in the rankings, for example if one becomes sick or goes into her moult).
The next egg production is not held up significantly for a few minutes while they wait to use the nest box. And even if you had two nest boxes, as this video explains, they will likely both use the one box anyway 🙂
Wonderful video!! I’m a new chicken owner and you tuber. Your channel has some of the best information for those just starting out. Check out the curtains I made for my nest boxes. Now my hens love them😊 thank you for sharing all of your insight and the amazing footage of your hens!
Thank you for saying so. I'm glad you find the videos helpful. I love your curtains!
Yes they are a Hoot n a Hollar!!!
Love all the chickens
Me too 🙂. Do you have chickens?
@@chickensinmygarden No, we are not allowed to have chickens where we live, our grandma (nana) Jan has some and we visit her to see them!
That's nice. I bet nana is always pleased to see you
why do they make that noise when they're about to lay? I almost thought i got some rooster in my flock
I'm not sure exactly. Chickens make different sounds to mean different things and that sound is clearly something to do with laying an egg. Some hens do it more than others. Some even do it when around other hens who are laying when they are not laying themselves. It does sound funny doesn't it.
Well giving birth is not the quietes procedure
Mine do that especially when they’re fighting over a box. It’s like they’re screaming get out of my way!!!!!
@@chickensinmygarden I read somewhere that it means the hen is telling the rest of her flock to lay their eggs in that location, and that some hens do it more than others because they are higher on the pecking order. I do not have hens to observe to confirm if this is true or not.
Interesting thought - I haven't noticed any association with the pecking order. I'll have to see what I can notice
Would it be better to leave eggs that are laid until all other hens have laid as well. I've been collecting as each has laid. If others see no eggs would they think the nest not good enough. I'm new at this and want to do the right thing.
Hi Cathy. Welcome to the wonderful world of chickens. You can collect the eggs or leave them- there are pros and cons for each. The biggest factor is probably whether or not you want to encourage or discourage broodiness. Eggs in the box will encourage it. But if they are laying in the box they will keep laying there even if you remove the eggs. Just be careful not to frighten one sitting on the nest if you open the lid above them to look for eggs.
what bedding do you use for a broody hen who is going to hatch some eggs ? That was amazing if someone has never seen a hen lay an egg !
I use straw (not hay because that can carry mould) or dry grass or pine shavings.
I have pine shavings in there now . I also bagged some dry leaves this fall I give them a bag each month this winter in there run they seem to love digging through it . Oh I thought our silky rooster was aggressive but hes doing his mating dance .
@@terryedge3423 Ah, that's all good then. 🙂
Thank You for all your replys they have helped me very much !
My two laying hens lay their eggs at the same time in the same nesting box every day, and they don’t seem to mind it at all. The never fight with each other AT ALL. Is this ok? or should I try and train one to lay in the other box option? Thanks!
As long as they seem happy and are not kicking the eggs out of the nest then you might as well let them do what they want. 😊
I have 2 hens that like to lay in the same laying box. I haven't got eggs for weeks. Does anyone know what happening?
Hi Amy. It could be one of lots of reasons. Check out my video called Why are your chickens not laying. Maybe that will give you a clue.
Hi there, what breed is the hen at 1:40? It looks like a blue laced red Wyandotte.
Yes, she's obviously a Wyandotte. She's what we loosely call a "buff-laced" although it's really white-laced buff. With blue-laced and splash laced, the white lacing is caused by a diluter gene (Bl) diluting the black colour of the lacing. But with this line of white-laced buff, the white lacing is caused by a dominant white gene, which acts like that white correction fluid, covering up, rather than diluting, the black colour. Occasionally you get a few black specks leaking through, but never a blue tinge. And the ground colour is called "buff" because it's the usual "gold" of gold-laced Wyandottes without the red enhancers that make the reds.
I had 3 in one spot
My chickens are laying together in one nest
And the other is covering it
My question is will the egg hatch to babies
Maybe. It depends.
- do you have a rooster?
- is there always one hen keeping the eggs warm?
- are the eggs staying under or getting pushed out sometimes?
If all looks favourable you should at least remove freshly laid eggs and leave the broody hen with just the ones that are developing, but ideally move broody hen and some eggs away from the rest of the flock so she doesn't get disturbed.
Did you try using ceramic eggs or egg gourds? It tricks them into using the other nestbox..
I haven't actually tried to influence their choice at all. But you're right - if they see an egg in one box they will be more inclined to choose that box.
This is proof that chickens are brilliant! They say a genius will talk to themselves to decrease distraction. The hens talk about which box she wants!
I have a young silkie which began laying in her sleep area. Now, she’s laying the middle of the nest area. I wonder how to get her into a nest box...maybe a small ramp would help...?
Maybe. It's worth a try.
And maybe some eggs in the nest box.
Chickens in my garden Thank you. I’ll let you know...
I wish I could show you
It just makes logical sense. If you had to sit on eggs for 21 days....would you want them hatching all at one time? Or do you want them all hatching on different days...making you sit longer or forever. With eggs being good for 3 weeks...it make sense to lay a bunch in 1 nest, then sit on it when they are all ready to go, and then they all hatch at the same time, and the mother can have a break - and go get food/water whenever she wants, instead of laying on the nest.
Absolutely! Not all kinds of birds do it that way with all chicks hatching at once, some have chicks hatching several days apart, but chickens are smart 🙂
I love
Shane Madison Thank you.
chickens are funny
Aren't they! I get lots of laughs from watching them.
Teresa Kumar Hahaha 🐔🐔🐔
Silly too
yes they are quite entertaining
I think your tan chicken has an accent. Lol😂
All my chickens have accents 😀
Aahhahaha! 😍😃 my mommy gona laugh at this! If i show herr! 😁😁 last year.we had a hen and she had a baby chick who she'd never let out of her side! We kept them in garage.but my mommy took baby chick out and brought it to me to get him warm cuz he was beeping so i was in bed and held it in my blanky! WARNING: then minute later hen started making really loud noises.she got worried! 😃😄 and we all were amused by the nature of mom. So we put the chick right back with her!
very funny😂
Who ever would have beleived what goes on in the nest box!
I don't have a lot of chickens but I have found I have a older male rooster of 5years he seems to make the nest and the hen will sit there I have the best gentleman rooster everybody says rooster are not good but my boy is the best
A really good rooster is wonderful, isn't he.
We stupidly put in 6 boxes they only use 2
That's chickens for you 🙂
Are they female or male I ant recognize?? Thank you!!
All female
take the division board off
Why?
Should a buy a baby white leghorn as a pet?
Not just one - chickens are flock animals - they like to live in a group so always have at least three. And if you have never had chickens before it is easier to start with adult hens.
@@chickensinmygarden 1st of all i have had chickens (sadly they have all died of old age)
And 2nd of all how about peacocks?
@@diegoandalexcockatiel7540 Ah that is good that you have had chickens already - you will understand 🙂. Leghorns are not the most people-oriented of breeds so if you want a friendly chicken then pick another breed.
I don't know anything about peacocks except they make a lot of noise and scratch up the garden but they look beautiful.
@@chickensinmygarden ok thx for letting me know! 😁😁
Actually for first time owners it's okay to get chicks! It also makes MUCH friendlier birds when you raise them yourself. I'm a first time owner and raised all 12 of the chickens I have now from a day old. All are happy and healthy and 3 of them are laying eggs now. (Just started laying.) Recommend the Ameracauna breed if you wish to have pet chickens. True Ameracaunas (Not Hybrid Easter Eggers) lay beautiful blue eggs and are very very friendly. Even the roosters seem to be suoer friendly. (I have 3 Ameracaunas. 2 hens, 1 rooster out of the 12 birds. The others are different breeds.)
I hope maybe you see this post, and able to have time to answer.
I have had chickens my whole life. I am up against an issue that i have encountered before, but was always able to manipulate the situation for my preferred outcome. But this time, I have a TOUGH EGG TO CRACK! lol
I have a very small flock. Will be adding more soon. It was just a situation. ANyway, only three hens. WHich I suspect could be adding to the problem. The Alpha hen, seems to NEVER BE SATISFIED with the laying spot. I have 3 nests boxes. Which have always served well. But seems this little lady cant make up her mind. At one point, I suspected maybe she wanted to go broody, and was trying to hide them from me. I was fine with that. So I left the eggs for her. Well, when there were ten eggs, SHE LEFT THE SPOT! And began laying in a new area! So I gave the eggs to the other animals, and began collecting them again. Seems no matter what I do with her, she refuses to settle on a spot. I really dont mind where she lays, as long as it is consistent, and inside the coop. I do not like leaving eggs to be found by predators, or to go to waste. And the other problem is, she is confusing the other two hens. One actually laid an egg in the "yard". THey are free range. If it were not for the fact that I can recognize the laying behavior, and the luck of seeing her, I probably would have never found the egg! I am dumb founded as to what to do about her. I have seen her spend HOURS looking around the coop. The first time I saw her doing this, I suspected she saw a mouse and was hunting. That is how long she did this! I have tried to get rid of any cubby holes, changed the flooring material, moved the nest boxes to the other side of the coop, have fake eggs, left the eggs, left them in the coop for a few days, and even signaled to her, making the "im going to lay" sounds, while putting her in the nest box. Nothing seems to work. Every three days or so, she moves the spot. One girl follows her blindly. But the third one, the lowest on the rank, seems just completely confused. Do you have any other tips or things I could try? I am seriously thinking of pulling her from the group for a few days, and see if one of the others will step up to lead! I rather not try that. But I am afraid she is going to start laying in the yard next. This has been going on for MONTHS!!!! Do you think it is because there is only three of them? They are not a year old yet. And all hatched together. Any advise is really appreciated!
Well my goodness, that is a tough one to crack 😃 You certainly do seem to have tried everything. I kind of agree that just having 3 fairly young hens might be contributing. I don't suppose you can add one older hen? One sensible old hen who laid in the right place might at least get the other two settled down. You didn't mention it but I suppose you have checked for mites? If the hen is uncomfortable and itchy she might keep looking for a non-itchy place (and of course not find one because the mites keep following her). Apart from that I'm as mystified as you. 🤔
@@chickensinmygarden Oh bless you! Thank you for the reply! Yes, I have checked for mites. I should have mentioned that. I use DE on the regular. And I have been fortunate to have never had a roblem. I have looked her over for any sort of problem that could be her thinking the nest is causing pain or discomfort. I agree with you. Maybe just inexperience. I will ask around again if anyone has an older hen they would like to part with. I havent had any luck finding one as of yet. I was with no chickens for about three years. Bought 24 eggs to hatch. And as luck would have it, the incubator quit on me about 8 days in! These three girls are the only ones who made it. But I have 30 in a new incubator, that go on lock down on the 24. Not the best time of year to have babies, but I dont like only having the three by themselves. The only thing I can figure is she is inexperienced. ANd a bunch of babies isnt going to educate her any! lol But at least there will be more of them.
I have yet to see her return to a spot once she has used it, and left it. Which has me concerned she will begin looking to the yard for new places. If she simply rotated her laying spots, I would be fine with that. As long as it is in the coop. Maybe I will have to go move things around and CREATE CUBBY HOLES! lol At least they would be inside the coop and not in the yard! IF YOU CANT BEAT "EM, JOIN EM! lol THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVISE! Greatly appreciated!
@@chickensinmygarden They are Easter eggers. But that doesnt mean I want to go on an egg hunt! lol
Maybe she's been watching too much TV about Changing Rooms (do you have that program there?) Lol
@@chickensinmygarden lol THATS IT! you cracked it! I knew you would have the answer! Well no more tv for her! lol
Easier to collect, eggs in one spot.
😄
What’s a hin?
Oh dear. I usually write up the words that I say and post the transcript under the video but I didn't for this one and UA-cam has made it's own transcript, guessing what I said. And with my New Zealand accent, UA-cam has got a lot wrong. The word I'm saying is 'hen' but the subtitles say 'hin' or 'hand'.
Chickens in my garden I know I’m just taking the mick 😂🤗
Ah, I'm hopeless at detecting subtleties. My husband often has to say 'that was a joke'.
Anyway thank you for watching my videos.
Chickens in my garden sorry 😂 Nice videos! Keep it up!
No apology necessary at all! Joking is entirely acceptable 🙂
Wtf is a nist and a hin
Ah, it's me trying to say Nest and Hen in my New Zealand accent 😀
@@chickensinmygarden 😂gotcha
Whatsapp
I wish your English was clearly pronounced