We finally got our six turkeys penned up for the spring laying season, yesterday. (I let them free range the rest of the year) because I would rather not go all over our property and possibly our neighbors places looking for nests (did that last year with our oldest hen) DH and I built them a good sized run, coop and roost with nice, new laying boxes...went out to feed this morning and check on my babies, and wouldn't ya know it, there's an egg...did she lay it in the box that I wore my fingers to the bone making for them?
NO! she laid her first ever egg ON THE GROUND!!! 
So I headed into the coop, all excited, grinning from ear to ear, to retrieve the egg...and of course, what happens? One of the hens stepped on the egg and broke it.
I put a couple of my chickens eggs in each of their boxes, hoping and praying they get the hint. 
Also, for those of you who may know the answer to this question.
Our oldest hen was raised as a single, (the other 5 I bought didn't make it) so she is a big pet, and would rather be around us and not penned up with some juvenile tom that only wants to strut and mate at this point.
She shows absolutely no interest in him. What are the chances she would lay fertile eggs? I mean, are toms like roosters and just ummm....take it when they want?
Edited by krazykat0373 - 1/21/13 at 10:19pm
I haven't noticed any of them missing for any length of time, but I do have one chicken that will lay an egg in a matter of seconds, she wastes no time sitting in the boxes when she could be out getting what green grasses and insects she can find this time of year.
