BREAKING-BAD EGG HABITS...

[Bettyboop7499]

Hello All, my little SDW OEGB-Lizzy has been laying her eggs in the garage. I came across two eggs yesterday by chance, just cleaning out a box for my new Ducks and surprise!-Two sweet beautiful bantam eggs come rolling out! I was in complete shock and was confused at first but then I recalled Lizzy was trying her darnedest to get into the garage that morning. And, sure enough as I was tending to the chicks in the brooder as soon as I opened the garage door in ran Lizzy frantically looking for her egg stash. She searched and yelled and yelled and searched, I finally felt so bad I setup a new box on its side with pine shavings in it, she went in and out not quite sure if it was good enough but after much contemplating she set up a nest and laid an egg. But after she laid the egg she started picking up pine shavings and throwing them on her back..? What does that mean? And as sweet as she is I'm not sure I want her laying her eggs in the garage, how do I break her of this? Yesterday evening I had a Bantam egg in the nest box in the coop, I don't know if it is Lizzys or her sisters Izzy?

So, I guess two questions here.
1. How do I break Lizzy from laying her eggs in the garage?
2. What does it mean when they throw pine shavings onto their backs after laying an egg?

Thank you! What would I do without BYC!

 

[FarmerGirl101]

This is just an idea but maybe try setting up the box outside next to the garage door then weekly move it forward if she lays in it. I am interested to see the new ideas.

 

[Fishkeeper]

If she was frantically looking for the eggs, is there any chance she's broody?
I've read that the pine shavings thing is what hens do when they're trying to scuffle the nest and arrange it properly but don't really have a material you can throw around to properly arrange. It might make more sense with straw.

 

[redranger209]

She was trying to brood. Babies!!

 

[sylviethecochin]

I agree with the other posters. When a hen starts laying in a place that's private and difficult to access, she's usually thinking about setting. That goes double for OEGBs. I doubt you'll convince her to lay in the coop unless you lock her in there for a week or so, and even then, she might return to the original site (OEGBs are stubborn) The egg you found in the coop was almost certainly Izzy's.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

If she was frantically looking for the eggs, is there any chance she's broody?
I've read that the pine shavings thing is what hens do when they're trying to scuffle the nest and arrange it properly but don't really have a material you can throw around to properly arrange. It might make more sense with straw.

I wondered that too but I didn't think they go broody their first year? I think she could have just been looking for the place she laid her eggs.

She was doing this after she laid the egg...I was wondering if she was trying to hide the egg..? I have no idea!

 

[sylviethecochin]

I wondered that too but I didn't think they go broody their first year? I think she could have just been looking for the place she laid her eggs.

She was doing this after she laid the egg...I was wondering if she was trying to hide the egg..? I have no idea!

This spring, I had a hen go broody at eight months old. It's not completely normal, but it's far from unusual. I'm not guaranteeing she's broody, but I would not be at all surprised if she was.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It does sound like she's considering brooding. If you don't want her in there can you just block off access to the garage, or is this more like a carport where there's no way to close it off?

Some hens like putting nesting material on their backs during or right after laying. No one really knows why, the best guess is camoflauge.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

It does sound like she's considering brooding. If you don't want her in there can you just block off access to the garage, or is this more like a carport where there's no way to close it off?

Some hens like putting nesting material on their backs during or right after laying. No one really knows why, the best guess is camoflauge.

No it is a garage. I open the door during these really warm days because I have a brooder in there, let some fresh air in.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

So, if I keep the garage door closed. How long "should" it take to break her from this habit?