Yesterday Bluebell laid her egg in the little coop at nine o’clock in the morning. Mid morning Honey settled in the nest box to lay her egg, but once Bluebell realised she was in there, she kept going in and chasing her out. I tried to distract Bluebell with some greens.
I then had to go out and on my return went in to check on the girls. There was no egg in the nest box and when I looked down there was evidence of a splat on the patio again but no remains of an egg. I then checked the run and found the top of Honeys egg shell which I removed.
This means Bluebell must have chased Honey out again and Honey goes to the coop roof to get out of her way. She must have laid her egg once again to roll down the coop roof and smash on the patio.
This is becoming a real problem because I can’t be there all the time to watch over them. I think Amber is feisty enough to hold her place in the nest box but Honey is more timid.
The girls had eaten all of the egg and most of the shell. They have never shown any interest in the eggs laid in the coop and nest box so I hope it’s just their instinct to eat the smashed egg and they don’t associate it with their eggs in the nest box.
It’s such a shame though and I don’t really know what I can do about this as I can’t always tell when Honey is going to lay and can’t stand guard over her. I really need her to toughen up and not let Bluebell chase her out of the nest box.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Toughen up! 🙂 We are all as bad as one another.
Could it be that Bluebell is sort of broody and is protecting her egg ? I know you can’t always be there but if her egg was taken straight out she might not do it.
When one or other of mine laid a soft egg or a broken egg they might eat that but only because it was broken .They have never eaten one with a good shell.
No, Bluebell had laid her egg in the other coop and I always remove it straight away and she is showing no broody signs. She had also laid her egg a couple of hours earlier than Honey was trying to lay. But as soon as she sees Honey go into the nest box Bluebell chases her out and pecks her and I have even seen Bluebell stand and block the door so Honey can’t get in. I don’t understand why she does this but it’s as if she just doesn’t want Honey to go in either the nest box or the little coop. Honey goes up to the coop roof or the store cabinet to get out of Bluebells way. I have never heard of any one having a chicken behave like this before. She seems determined not to let Honey lay her egg. It seems really mean.
I really don’t know then ,it was just a thought .
I agree with you it is really mean when we can only watch and let it carry on as by the time we notice these things and attempt to do something about it the moment is over.
I have never read or heard of this before either .
The other girls have long since accepted the little girls but it’s as if Bluebell is still determined to show her power over them at every chance she gets.
Bluebell now goes to roost first to get the position on the little chair, just to stop the bantys getting on there. She constantly chases them away too.