broken egg

[amandathewatergirl]

I went out this morning to find a broken egg in the middle of the hen house. I know the ladies aren't laying on the floor, they have always laid in their next boxes. I usually put a mixture of hay and soft dried grass clippings, but I was lazy and only put the hay this time. Think this is their way of saying they want softer nest boxes?

FYI - only two layers right now, both of my leghorns. But one of my wyndottes is getting really close too. Also thinking it may be the almost layer kicking up the hay and getting used to the feel of the nest boxes.

Just want to ensure I don't have any further broken eggs! Thanks everyone!

 

[Kittymomma]

How big was the egg? My guess is your almost ready to lay pullet has started laying, but is a little confused. My Wyndottes started about a week ago and I found little pullet eggs on the roosting platform, in the coral and between the chicken run and the barn. I also found one this morning that was probably layed while the chicken was roosting, it was on the coop floor and despite all the shaving it was cracked. Mine seem to be figuring out the nest boxes after a day or two so yours probably will too.

It is interesting to me though that my Wyndotte pullets are the only ones to be so confused. The red stars layed in the boxes from the begining and the BA's haven't started yet, but have been practicing in the nest boxes for the last two days. This is soooo much fun!! I love my chickens!

 

[amandathewatergirl]

They are about 22 weeks or so I believe. The leghorns are good layers now, but this was a first. I just found our first brown egg (likely our wyndottes) but that was also broken! I figure that one was because the shell was soft, but the shells of our leghorns are quite thick.

I put more hay down in the general hen house to hopefully keep any eggs that are getting kicked out intact.

Thanks for the help!

 

[shanonspeeps]

I swapped from pine shavings to straw hay and my ladies HATE it! I have to put more in each nesting box every day. It's always kicked out by the end of the day. I think I'm going to go back to the shavings.

 

[Mahonri]

Mine love the shavings, they move it around but most of it stays in the boxes.