Two (I think) of my 15 pullets started laying on the solstice. Woo Hoo! I'm sure the others will fall in line soon. There have been one or two eggs a day since.
But all the eggs that I've found are on the coop floor -- some just lying out under the roost, in the open, and some tucked behind the concrete lawn groom that is propped in one corner. (He was living in that stall before the chickens moved in, and before we moved in, so he stayed.)
There's a bank of eight metal nest boxes on the wall, also hand-me-downs from a previous owner of this place. There are perches. I've got hay in each and a golf ball in each.
Okay, I get that it can take them some time to start laying in nests. But I'm wondering if the the nests are even big enough. They are just under 12" x 12" and the round doors are 8", which is by the book, but I can't seem to stuff a chicken in there. I've got bigger breeds -- Orps, Wyandottes, New Hamps, Delawares, EE's.
Do they need bigger nest boxes?
How long should I wait for them to figure out the nest box concept before offering them some other kind of nest box?
But all the eggs that I've found are on the coop floor -- some just lying out under the roost, in the open, and some tucked behind the concrete lawn groom that is propped in one corner. (He was living in that stall before the chickens moved in, and before we moved in, so he stayed.)
There's a bank of eight metal nest boxes on the wall, also hand-me-downs from a previous owner of this place. There are perches. I've got hay in each and a golf ball in each.
Okay, I get that it can take them some time to start laying in nests. But I'm wondering if the the nests are even big enough. They are just under 12" x 12" and the round doors are 8", which is by the book, but I can't seem to stuff a chicken in there. I've got bigger breeds -- Orps, Wyandottes, New Hamps, Delawares, EE's.
Do they need bigger nest boxes?
How long should I wait for them to figure out the nest box concept before offering them some other kind of nest box?