An Egg...finally! What to expect next?

[Chick-N-Antics]

We finally go our first egg! The only problem is that the hen that laid it did it under the next box instead of in it. We did the golf ball thing, kept the boxes clean and orderly but all my girls seem to want to do is sleep in them and use them as outhouses. Coming down from the new egg high, I was wondering...how do we correct this little problem?

I placed the egg back in the box to see if they get the right idea and also made some modifications so laying under the boxes is not an option...how soon should we expect more eggs? And does anyone know of anything else I can do to get them to lay in the boxes?

I was so excited to see the first one that I started yelling for my husband who thought something was wrong and came running. It's actually a good sized egg and perfectly formed. I'm so proud!

 

[derby]

First I would wait and see if they self-correct (which mine did). Otherwise, if they keep laying down lower, I would just move the nesting box down to where they want to lay.

Derby

 

[Chick-N-Antics]

Do they normally like laying on the ground or close to the ground? I'll have to keep that in mind and just keep checking to see how they are doing. I work during the week so I was bummed I wasn't around to witness the event.

Is the laying pretty sporadic for awhile?

 

[Mahonri]

What to expect next?

More eggs!!!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Yes, the laying can be sporadic for awhile. It helps to make sure your nest boxes are lower than your roosts. Chickens want to go as high as possible when they roost, so they'll generally pass up a low nest box in favor of a higher roost.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

How high are your nest boxes? Ours were too high at first and we lowed them to 20 inches off the ground...low enough so the hen can stretch her neck and look inside. Mine always lay IN the nest box now

Before we had them like 4 foot off the ground! My FIL didn't know how high they should go and I forgot to tell him so we just lowered them. Good luck!

 

[lovemychix]

I found my first egg in the run. It was so small I could hardly see it. They will learn to use nest boxes. I occasionally find one on the ground by the boxes.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I never had any problem with my girls not laying in their nest boxes, but I had a bit of a problem with them sleeping in them and pooping in them. I blocked the boxes off in the evenings 7 pm. and unblocked them around 7 am. Only once I found an egg outside. It was very warm when I picked it up so it must have been freshly layed. I had been in their area a few minutes and did not see the egg but shortly after I saw a chicken there, then I saw the egg. I did have golf balls in my boxes and the roosts are slightly higher.

 

[Bird Hearder]

Whats Next??

Breakfast!!

 

[Chick-N-Antics]

My nest boxes are about two feet or so off the ground. The roost is about a foot higher. (Guessing here because my hubby built them)

I blocked off the boxes the last couple of nights but my roo Raoul is determined to sit on them anyway! My hens were all on the roost this morning though.

I didn't seen anymore eggs but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for the advice and info, everyone. I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions as I go.