Egg issues

[rehsanipoor]

I have 6 girls who just started laying regularly. We are a challenge and I was hoping to get opinions/advice.

Our coop has the nesting boxes attached to it. Unfortunately one of my girls refuses to roost, she prefers to sleep in a nesting box. Prior to them laying I had the boxes blocked off to avoid this problem but it didn't work. We go in there when we lock up and push her out but she just returns after we've left. I also changed the bedding to fake grass thinking this would be less cuddly (no luck).
I regularly clean out the boxes because I don't want my eggs getting dirty but it's not working.

I was considering making/buying a new nesting box that will sit independently of the coop and giving in to her. Alternatively I could block off the nesting boxes and remove the barrier each morning but this will be a hassle.

Any other ideas?

Will I be able to retrain them to lay in a new place?

Thanks for any help you can give me!

 

[sourland]

Are the roosts located higher than the nest boxes ? If not can the roosts be raised ? Chickens generally want to roost at the highest point possible. Yes they can be trained to lay in another place.

 

[rehsanipoor]

Yes, the roosts are higher than the nesting boxes. We gave them a few different options of higher and lower.. most of them have chosen to roost on a low wall/divider that wasn't even intended to be a roost.

Regardless she still prefers to be in the nesting box or even the floor where we have pdz.

Is it a problem that she doesn't roost (aside from the challenge described earlier?)? Safety is not a concern, the coop is like Fort Knox!

 

[snow5164]

Hello ,
What kind of bird is this ? Age?

Is she healthy ?

 

[rehsanipoor]

Yes, she is healthy. She is approx. 20 wks. She started laying 2-3 weeks ago. She is a red sexlink.

 

[snow5164]

If one does different things then the others I want to know why ...

Can she get up there ?Are her feet good?Have you seen her get up there?

Does she have all her feathers ? Or is she getting picked on?

 

[rehsanipoor]

Well, they all roost pretty low. We have two roosts that are high up (that only one or two use) and we also have lower roosts that sit a few inches above the pvz. But most of them cuddle up together on a low divider that separates nesting boxes from the roosting area. Truthfully she's less than a foot away from the others, but she's IN the nesting box.

She seems very healthy to me (although we are new to the chicken world) . She's fully feathered and quite agile. We sometimes find her on the roof of the coop in fact. So I don't think it's a lack of ability. She lays an egg almost every day and they have nice shells and look healthy.

She also happens to be my only one who often finds ways to sneak out of the run and then will go lay her eggs in "hidey places". Not sure if that might be a clue to her behavior... I'll try to get a picture of her. Maybe you'll notice something that I haven't.

Thanks for any ideas you may have!

 

[snow5164]

I’d like to see the set up ,
If only one or two roost high and the rest roost by the floor under the “ nesting boxes, I’m wondering if it just to high /hard to get up to .


You could try a ladder roost
Curiousness

 

[chuckachucka]

Maybe she's just a rebel.

 

[rehsanipoor]

Funny I did build a ladder roost and nobody uses it . I think they just like to see me scramble around building and sweating. It's already getting dark here so I'll try to get some pictures so that you can see the setup tomorrow.

I was reading about nesting box possibilities. If I tilt the floor of my current nesting boxes would that encourage her to sleep somewhere else? I can't imagine it would be comfortable to sleep on a slight incline... then again I wouldn't think it would be comfortable teetering on a roost. If that doesn't work at least the eggs would roll out of the way and maybe stay cleaner.

Thanks so much for your interest and help. I'll work on those pics for tomorrow... am working in the AM but will try to get them posted in the afternoon.