Yesterday Bluebell laid her egg first thing in the morning, in the little coop. I kept hearing a lot of shouting after Bluebell had laid and went up to find Honey on the coop roof shouting and Bluebell blocking the coop door. It seems that lately when Honey wants to get into the nest box, Bluebell stops her going in. This seems so mean and I don’t know why she does this especially as she has already laid her egg. It seems that Bluebell just doesn’t like Honey going in the nest box.
I shooed Bluebell away and hoped Honey would go in the nest box but at that point we had to go out. When we returned there was a lot of shouting and I rushed up to see what the matter was. Honey was on the coop roof, shouting as loudly as such a little girl can and looking down to the patio. Honey must have laid her egg again from the top of the coop roof and again it had rolled down to the patio and smashed. I wasn’t so quickly on the scene this time as I had been out, and all the other girls were gathered round Honeys broken egg, pecking away at it.
I shooed them away and quickly cleared up and washed away any trace of it. I felt sad for poor Honey not being able to get into the nest box and now think this is what probably happened last time. I also really hope this doesn’t lead to egg eating problems.
Later on Pepper laid her egg in the little coop and while the girls were distracted with frozen peas in a tray of water, Amber sneaked into the nest box and laid her egg.
It seems that there is always a new problem to deal with. With two separate nest boxes, both big enough to take several girls at once, it shouldn’t be a problem. But there seems to be a power struggle going on with Bluebell and the little girls. Bluebell has been roosting on the little chair before I put the girls to bed and this also seems to be just to stop them roosting there. It seems that Bluebell feels she must stop the little girls whenever she can. It’s a shame she can’t see that they accept their place at the bottom of the pecking order and are no threat to her position. I suppose a chicken has to do what a chicken has to do. She is not listening to me that’s for sure!
I have just noticed that this is post three hundred. I have had chickens now for one year and one month and can’t believe that I have written three hundred posts!
Click here to see the history of my flock.
I really don’t know what to say except poor Honey! I know that it does not seem to matter how many nest boxes you have they all want the same one. Up until a week ago when I had the two old coups I had 3 nest boxes they used to share and then one day they all laid in the same small one and did all the time after that. There was no struggles but if one was in the nest box the others would stand at the bottom of the ladder with their legs crossed . I have had no sign of bullying over it though and sorry don’t know the answer .
There has never been a problem with the big girls, they would share or wait with no bother. It’s since the little girl’s came along that the big girls won’t share with them and now it’s moved a step further with Bluebell not wanting Honey to go in at all. Bluebell had laid so didn’t need it herself but likes to keep Honey out, I have seen her go in the coop and chase Honey out then stand blocking the door. It’s so mean! Honey goes up to the coop roof to escape Bluebell and yesterday spent some time sat on the top of the storage cabinet out of Bluebells way after the egg incident. Amber is more feisty and more able to stand her ground. Honey is definitely bottom chick.