B52 Chicken!

[Fabidon]

Quick question for which I could not find an answer in archives:
One of my 12 chickens (10 Sex Link and 2 Dominques) is dropping an egg at night while on the roost. Is there a way to convince her to use the nesting box that is in the same coop? Or, has she established her egg laying habit?
Thanks for any and all input.

Other note: We are new to raising chickens and my husband has clicker trained the flock to leave their free ranging and go to bed in the coop each evening. It is so much fun watching them all toddle along behind him and the clicker every day. Who knew they were trainable and such fun!

 

[BooBear]

Sometimes pullets will pop em out on the roost as they have not clued in on the egg thing completely. Normally, they do take note of the nest and discover it is much better spot.

You should post a pic of hubby with clicker and the birds following him.

 

[Erin K]

I'm going to need your husband to come over here and train my chickens to go back in their coop. I've already had to chase them all over the neighborhood.

 

[gryeyes]

That's kinda normal fora new layer, because the sensation of "imminent egg" is not yet familiar enough to her to get to a good spot first.

I also leave golf balls in nests... Something light colored and roundish enough for a pullet to think that's a good place to lay her egg because another chicken has laid an egg there. Some folks use wooden or ceramic fake eggs. Golf balls work fine for my girls.

 

[dbounds10]

x2 - I have fake wooden eggs and have only had 1 off the roost and one under the coop. They have been laying since Aug 8th.

 

[Jajika]

I saw that happen to one of my two year old hens! She normally always lays
in the nest.

However, this one night, sitting in the tree in the early evening I happen to be outside
checking on them and right then and there she popped an egg out and it came crashing down.
What the....???????

Rarely do I find an egg on the ground and this scenario was funny.

So, in my case it was not a new chicken and one that normally lays in the coop.

Who knows.....

 

[Fabidon]

Thank you for the input. I have put an egg into each nest in the coop and we'll see if that gives her the hint as to where to lay her eggs rather than dropping them on the floor from the roost.

Per your request......"]How To Clicker Train Your Chickens"

1- Start when all chickens are in coop or contained in their yard. Give two clicks of the clicker (available at most pet shops) and scatter some bird seed on the ground.
2- Continue doing the above for 4-5 days and they will come to associate the clicker sound with the delivery of treats.
3- When they are free ranging, click the clicker several times (it takes more to get their attention when they are out and about) and sprinkle a small amount of bird seed in their path.
4- Continue doing #3 until they start running toward you when they hear the clicker.
5- Then start clicking the clicker as you walk away from them....may need to drop a little bird seed to give them the idea of following you.
6- They will get to the point where you can go out to the chickens wherever they are and start clicking and walking away and they will follow you back to their coop. Then throw an ample supply of the bird seed into their chicken yard or coop area where they will be contained for the evening.
Note: It is easier for us to get ours in if we wait until the sun is fading (about 7:00 PM now) as they are more willing to 'go to bed'.

I tried to post a photo but don't know how to attach it to this post....so....if you see a man wearing denim shorts walking away with a dozen chickens following him, that's my guy and his girls!

 

[stormylady]

Mine go in to the coop on there own around dusk and get ready for bed , However in an emergency situation , say like a hawk or a pack of dogs or you have to leave to go somewhere in a hurry that would be super cool to have it that easy to bring them in! Instead of hearding them like a flock of sheep to get them in. Lovin' that Idea!!

 

[BWKatz]

The clicker is a great idea. I trained my 1st 4 with watermelon to go back to the coop at night and they trained my new ones (9 of them). I never trained them to come during the day but if they have gotten out of their pen, when I go out to get them they follow me wherever I go. Of course they all have names and are petted and handled every day.