Re: mess in the roosting box

In article
<46d6fd44$0$12122$5a62ac22@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> wrote:

"Janet Baraclough" <janet.and.john@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
from Back Yard Farm <grace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> contains these words:

After introducing new laying hens to the group,

Are there now more hens using the same number of boxes as before? If
so, you may need to provide a few more boxes


I found a chicken had
"messed" in one of the nesting boxes. Does anyone know if that was
some sort of message or was is just an accident?

They do sometimes do it in the box. This is more likely to happen if
there's competition for laying-space. If a hen can't find an empty nest
box when she needs it, she's more likely to get in an occupied one. The
two hens will then spend much longer in the nest box than a single
occupant does. The first one to lay, often waits for the second one to
finish then they get off the nest together. Maybe for the pleasure of
the company and cosy natter, or maybe because they don't like leaving
their nest/egg to another bird.

Another thing about hens is that the egg and the shit come out down
the same tube. So, while an egg is in the tube on its way out, shit is
backed up behind the egg. If she's laid her egg and stays sitting on
that crowded nest too long, waiting for her friend to finish
laying...well....a hen has to do what a hen has to do.

The other thing that can happen when the hens feel short of nesting
boxes, is that some will make a secret nest elsewhere and start laying
out..watch out for that.

My silly girls have lots of boxes but they all seem to prefer to use the one
box. The favoured box changes from time to time and I can't pick any single
factor that makes one box the flavour of the moment. It seems to have
nothing to do with the freshness of the bedding material or the light or
anything that I can make out. It just seems to be something along the lines
of "this week we'll all lay in 'x' box".

Mine to that, too.

Jan
.

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