The hens simply agree with the earlier egg laying hens and add their egg to the clutch in one nesting box. This is also why some chickens will even climb into a box with a broody hen, squish together and and lay their egg with the broody. It is a possibility that the eggs were laid together to help continue their genetic lineage.
Our answer was young chickens have a habit of snuggling up into the corners of nest boxes and it’s a habit that is very hard to break as they grow up. You should make the effort to keep young birds out of the nesting boxes until they learn to roost.
Do chickens need nesting boxes at all?
It may surprise you to learn that chickens do not need nesting boxes at all – it is the humans that need them. In the wild a hen will find a quiet, secluded spot and make a nest. It could be in the hedgerow, in the barn or anywhere else she pleases and that makes it hard for predators to find her.
Another thing we asked ourselves was, do hens need a nest box to lay eggs?
My favorite answer is nest boxes aren’t essential for hens to lay eggs, they can (and do) lay where they feel secure. The nesting box is essential for you, the flock keeper, unless you enjoy searching the yard, outbuildings and under every bush or overhang for eggs!
We should see if we can figure it out. on average, it is recommended that you have one nesting box per four hens. So with my flock of nine, I should have a minimum of three boxes. I have nine. It turns out that no matter the flock or coop there is usually a preferred nesting box. It is the one where most of the eggs are laid that day.
Do chickens make nests?
Chickens will make nests in the wild, yes. When we use the term ‘nest’ for chickens, however, we’re not talking about them building a circular nest from twigs and other debris like other birds. When a chicken wants to lay an egg, they instinctively find somewhere they think will be safe from predators.
We discovered It’s best to make your own nests and try to coax the chickens to lay in them. It’s easier on you and helps you manage it to get clean eggs if they lay in your nests, not ones they make.
Do chinchillas make their own nests?
Chickens will make their own nests, but it might be where the eggs get dirty, where it is hard for you to get to them, where predators can get the eggs or even them, or maybe even where you cannot find them. It’s best to make your own nests and try to coax the chickens to lay in them.