Sometimes two girls want to lay their eggs at the same time and they manage to squeeze into the nest box and lay their eggs side by side. It’s unlikely that all three girls would want to lay their eggs at the same time but it did happen once. They got round this by all three laying their eggs on the coop floor. I found the three eggs so close together that they were all touching each other. I have no idea why they all have to lay their eggs in the same place!
I have noticed that if two girls are in the nest box together, the third girl still outside will be shouting. It does worry me sometimes that it will disturb the neighbours. Chickens chattering is a lovely sound, chickens shouting is not so good. I am not sure if it’s because one girl doesn’t like being left out on her own but whichever of the three it is that’s left out she will shout equally as loud.
Today it was Pepper that was left out of the nest box and shouting so I went to see what was going on. I lifted the nest box and Pepper came to look from inside the coop. I popped back with my camera and Pepper joined me to look from outside the coop this time.
The other thing I have noticed is that Bluebell doesn’t like to leave if another girl is sitting on her egg. She will look for it and will often only leave the nest box once I have removed her egg, so today I reached under Dotty and took Bluebell’s egg from under her. Who knows what goes on these little chicken brains?
Three in a nest box
Room for two?
I think there is!
Is my egg still under here?
I’m reluctant to leave
What’s happening outside?
After I had removed Bluebell’s egg, Bluebell left Dotty to get on with laying her egg. Pepper went in to lay shortly after and was sat on Dotty’s egg but these two girls don’t seem to be bothered by this. It is only Bluebell that gets very possessive of her egg. This has happened several times, she either shouts or won’t leave the nest box when another girl sits on her egg. Once they have finished and left the nest box or once I have removed Bluebell’s egg, she settles back to normal. They are fascinating little characters.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
I wonder if the time you found them on the coop floor together, one of your girls had gathered them close? They do tend to bring all the eggs together to sit on … one of our new bantams would sit right by an ex-batt to snaffle her egg as soon as it was laid!
That was a while ago when there were no broody signs but lately Bluebell has had a broody afternoon so, I wonder if that’s why she is more possessive of her eggs.
Great photos as usual .I loved them..I don’t know but I have as you know two coups and 3 of them lay in the same nest box and if it is in use Annie will stand out side patiently for ages with her legs crossed almost rather than go in the other which is only used by Bonny.
By the way it must be spring ,the washing is off the line :):)
Mine do like to do everything together that’s for sure.
Re – the washing, wow!