Yesterday morning Toffee was in the left coop trying to lay her second egg this year. Topaz was in the right coop and Peaches wanted to lay her egg. Peaches decided to join Toffee (Toffee is a safer bet than Topaz).
Peaches moves into the nest box with Toffee
Toffee would like to be left in peace
I decided to move Topaz out of the right coop to free up another nest box as Topaz isn’t laying at the moment.
Peaches however stayed put and laid her egg in front of Toffee. It’s as if Topaz has a sixth sense for an egg being laid as she went straight in to the left coop to sit on the egg.
Topaz and Toffee
Poor Toffee is desperate to get her egg laid and as usual has sprinkled her back with pine shavings.
I returned a little later to find that Toffee had left the nest box and Topaz was sitting on Peach’s and Toffee’s eggs. I have found that if I gently ruffle Topaz’s tail it annoys her enough for her to leave the nest box and I can then collect the eggs and she will stay out. She does sometimes try to peck me though.
Topaz seems to spend all morning trying to sit on any of the girls eggs but so far once turfed out of the nest box she will go off and feed and scratch as normal. I wonder how long she will behave like this before starting to lay again.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
The nest box is often anything but a peaceful, calm environment and so often they want to be where someone else already is. 4 out of 5 of my nest boxes were used today, but of the 12 eggs in total, 6 were laid in the favourite box, 4 in another and, I assume, the one in each of the other two was due to the producers simply not being able to wait any longer!
It is funny how they all want the same box. I often think of adding another box then think it would probably be pointless.
I had the first five egg day, this year, today. Barley was first then Sparkle then Peaches then Emerald then Toffee. Four eggs were in the current favourite, left coop and one in the right coop and the main coop nest box very rarely ever gets used.
I think an extra box is pointless if my girls are anything to go by.
Up till 2 weeks ago they had 4 nest boxes but will only use two depending on their mood. One nest box in the big coup has never been used . If one girl is in one nest box you can bet your life some one else will want to go in how ever many they have .
I think you are right, they will always want the one every one else wants. The nest box in the main coup now rarely ever gets used and that rare occasion was only when Honey was feeling unwell before a soft shelled egg. In normal circumstances it remains ignored. They will always want the current “popular” one.