Hi everyone. Well I guess all is well the 2nd egg came last night right on time. It is a little bigger but both are nice and whiteish pink. I was wondering abot her sitting on the eggs. She is a little hyper when I come to look in. She jumps back in and in and knocks the eggs around a little.. Is this normal? Should I put more bedding in to suchion them? They are okay so far. Also sometimes the eggs are not in the cup in the center of the box should I put them in the middle together? Or should I just leave them alone? The father does not go in the box yet is that okay? well thats it for now thanks. Dave

All sounds normal for a protective mum. Dad might not go in the box at all, some do some don't. It is the hen that give the first feedings of the crop milk not the dad he starts to feed them later on.

Hi Dave, I found that the concave in a couple of my nestboxes were too hollow and it was really easy for the hen to knock them with her tail when she got out. I tried to cushion them with some pine shavings, but she would just move the shavings over to near the nest box door. As this hen went on to have 8 eggs (so far) I did put in an insert with a much deeper concave and the eggs are now always in the right spot.

 

You will find that when the hen starts to sit on the eggs, she will gather them up and push them under herself to warm them.

 

As for the cock going into the nestbox. One of mine does and has done a lot since his girl started laying, but I have others that I have never seen go in. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

 

Feathers.

Edited June 3, 200718 yr by feathers

Thanks guys the third egg came sunday and maybe one tommorow I hope. And yes she has moved all of the eggs back to the center.

I tap on the box before I open the lid & 8 out 10 the hen will hop out.That way they don`t spread the eggs every where.