2 min readfrom chickens

2 hens won’t leave nesting box

Our take

Are your feathered friends turning into nesting box hermits? You’re not alone! Many chicken keepers encounter similar quirks in their hens, especially when they notice two out of three of their gold chickens spending almost all their time in the nesting boxes. This behavior can be perplexing, especially since they seem healthy and typically enjoy human interaction. It’s important to remember that chickens can have fluctuating moods and comfort levels, which may explain their nervousness and reluctance to leave the nests. With your other hens roaming and exploring freely, it raises some questions about what’s going on with your gold girls. Let’s dive into this cluck-tastic conundrum and explore some possible reasons behind their cozy box obsession!
2 hens won’t leave nesting box
2 hens won’t leave nesting box

We have a few hens, and 2 of our 3 gold chickens spend almost all of their time in the nesting boxes, only coming out briefly to eat or drink. This behavior usually lasts for a week or two, then they’ll act normal for a day or two before going right back to staying in the nesting boxes again. We haven’t noticed any clear pattern or reason for it.

We’ve checked them over, and they seem healthy, but we’re still pretty new to raising chickens and have a lot to learn. We also care for them like pets, so naturally we’re a bit concerned.

Our third gold chicken tends to stay in the fenced coop area, while our other chickens (4 black and white hens from Rural King) roam and explore during the day before being put up at night.

Another thing we’ve noticed is that the gold chickens seem much more nervous than usual when we try to touch them. They’re normally fairly comfortable around people, but lately they get very worked up—even when we simply open the coop door, they start making distressed noises along with puffing up like they’re scared.

I took a video to help provide more context, it’s not the best example but it gets the point across. Also don’t mind their sister squawking in the background lol. Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

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#chickens#fear of chickens#chicken behavior#chicken breeds#chicken myths#chicken anatomy#chicken eggs#bird behavior#nesting boxes#hens#gold chickens#fenced coop#behavior#healthy#nervous#explore#distressed noises#concerned#worked up#roam