6 month old laid first egg while roosting. Normal?

[lv9777]

I have 3 six month old pullets that are not yet laying. I am in Michigan, so I was not expecting any eggs until Feb/March. I have three egg boxes which my young girls have seen my 3 older hens using throughout the summer and one box has a wooden egg in it. Tonight when I went out to say goodnight, there was a cracked egg on the poop board under my black Maran. It was not yet frozen so it was a recent activity. Luckily, no one appeared to notice it and no one found out it was edible. The egg appears normal, good size and beautiful dark brown.
I am a bit concerned that this pullet does not quite know what to do. Is this normal for pullets just starting out? No one else is laying, so there is no one to model appropriate behavior. I can't have cracked eggs in the coop. Ideas?

 

[FloppyGirl]

I've had this happen with my young pullets. I figure they may not get the whole laying in a nest straight away and end up with a surprise laid egg while roosting. Eventually they figure it out. However I would expect your pullets to lay 'some' eggs before Feb/Mar.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Very normal for pullets to drop eggs in the wrong spot, accidentally lay off the roost, or have general egg quality issues when starting out. It should fix itself over time as they get the hang of laying.

 

[lv9777]

Thanks. Good to know

 

[fluffycrow]

I've had this happen before, even while a chicken was walking. In my experience, those eggs are usually very brittle, meaning they lack calcium and other nutrients, but it can happen with regular eggs as well, especially with younger birds. That doesn't mean that your hen will continue to lay out in the open, it was probably due to lack of experience. Maybe try putting more bedding into the nest, it gives them an incentive to go, but don't be alarmed if they remove it later, chickens have preferences too!

 

[lv9777]

Everyone is laying in the nesting boxes now. It took a few eggs though. Still waiting for last one to start. It's my EE so I am excited to see what color she lays. I don't expect my older girls to lay till Feb/March.