Odd behavior from NH Red

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bmurf897

bmurf897

Hatching
Sep 26, 2016
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She has been laying regular for two weeks now but has started dragging her hay from the laying box onto the pine shavings and mixing the two together. Have found her egg in the mix in the roost box last couple days. I clean their roost and laying boxes every morning. Happy I'm still getting eggs but this seems a little off to me? New chicken farmer by the way! Any insight would be helpful!
 
Seems like she prefers laying on the hay to the wood shavings. Why not try just using hay in the laying box?
 
bmurf897 said:
She has been laying regular for two weeks now but has started dragging her hay from the laying box onto the pine shavings and mixing the two together. Have found her egg in the mix in the roost box last couple days. I clean their roost and laying boxes every morning. Happy I'm still getting eggs but this seems a little off to me? New chicken farmer by the way! Any insight would be helpful!
Click to expand...
Welcome to BYC!
Can you post some pics of your nest(laying box) and roosting box?
It's not unusual for newly laying birds to majorly mess up the nest bedding,
but it usually only lasts for the first few eggs they lay.
High front (3-4") on front of nests can really help keep bedding, fake and real eggs in the nest.

Terminology is a little odd in your post.
Semantics maybe, but it makes communication more clear for discussions
Nest is what we usually call where they lay.
Roost a usually a rod/bar where they roost(sleep).
You don't want them sleeping in the nests because they poop a lot when roosting all night.
Coop is securely closed (from weather and predators) in area where they spend the night.
Run is a secure area where they spend the day if not free ranging.
 
My birds don't seem to like anything in their nest boxes. Whenever I put fresh shaving in their boxes they kick it out.
 
Sorry guys still a neophyte here. To clarify I have a roosting area that is not separated from the laying area by more than a small board. It's a starter coop I found on Amazon which is fairly adequate for 2 birds. The "roosting area" has a slide out pan for droppings and a roosting bar. This is what I have the shavings in. The "laying area" is what I have the hay in. They are both asleep right now in the laying area in the hay as opposed to the roosting area with the bar and the shavings. Will add pics in the morning, but she is laying in the shavings after dragging hay to that area. No issues really other than I thought they would lay in the hay area. Eggs still beautiful and there is one there every day now around 10:30 am!! Thanks all
 

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