Can nesting areas be moved?

[tiny529]

One of my girls just started laying but she's laying under the as-of-yet unused roosts. How do I get her to lay in the nest box? She takes the eggs out when I put them in the nest box.

 

[Pinky]

Is it possible to block the undesired laying area, maybe put something there so she'll have to use the nest box?

 

[jpcode]

Under the roosts? In the open? that would be strange. Hens generally like to feel hidden when they lay eggs, Maybe you need to privatise the nest boxes a little more. A picture might help.

 

[JakRat]

I am re doing out nest too. I had one that was laying besides the used roost! Crazy lady... I am putting in another one too... I had someone move the eggs out of the nest the other day... I think it may have been one of the jealous hens

 

[tiny529]

My coop is long and narrow (4' by 8'). The opening is at the far end and the girls all sleep in the shavings right inside the door. The roosts are at the opposite end but no one seems to go back there. Trixie is laying her eggs in the corner under the lowest roost, so though it's in the open, it probably doesn't feel that way to her. It's cozy and secluded. My fear is that the others will decide to move further into the coop and realize that there are roosts back there. Then the eggs will get messed up. I tried moving the nest box itself to where she's laying the eggs hoping that she will get used to it and allow it to be moved later. We'll see how she reacted to that in the morning, I guess. When I moved an egg to the nest box, she pulled it out and yelled at me for a long time. Dang opinionated chicken.

 

[JakRat]

Quote:
Lol they can be ungrateful creatures cant they!

You could try moving the nest to back there and the roost up to where they are sleeping?

I let mine push me around sometimes, but when it comes to a natural process like that I am a bit more forgiving.

 

[tiny529]

Quote:
That's probably what will ultimately happen. I just want to try out a few things before we have to pull out the cordless drill and freeze our fingers.

 

[JakRat]

Quote:
That's probably what will ultimately happen. I just want to try out a few things before we have to pull out the cordless drill and freeze our fingers.

Lol Uh oh!!

My nest problems are keeping me up at night... well I may be being a bit dramatic, but we have 4 established hens and rooster, 2 new hens and 2 pullets so I think there is some nest confusion. I am putting in a new one tomorrow to see if my silkiie and serama (the new hens) lay there since the nest box is only used by our barred rock and my two easter eggers arent laying yet.

 

[tiny529]

I wasn't expecting mine to lay until the spring. I check inside the coop every few days to put some new bedding down. I guess Trixie had buried the eggs in the pine shavings because when I checked yesterday, there were 12 eggs! I didn't see a single one the last time I checked and unless I happened upon Super Chicken, I doubt she's been laying 3+ eggs per day.

Still waiting for the others to join in. Not only was I shocked to find a dozen eggs just a few days after the shortest day of the year (I don't give supplemental lighting), but I was most shocked to find that it was my EE that laid. I didn't think they were winter layers?

You've got jealous hens too, I see? My other EE is my jealous gal. If I talk to anyone other than her, she's butting right into the conversation. She's nearly as bad as my dogs. Give lovin' to one and the other butts right in.

 

[JakRat]

Crazy girls I tell ya!! seems like she has a nice clutch going on there... Do you have a rooster. I have one EE who laid these cute olive colored eggs for like a week ( I only got 3) and then stopped. I am not sure which one it is, so I am hoping to get some eggs this spring. They do have a heat lamp. I love that my coop is diverse and that we arent having to many bullying problems anymore... but I wish they would all just get over themselves and stop being such divas!! I keep telling my little man ( a porcelain d'uccle rooster) that he needs to start stepping in.. but he is to busy making his man noise and fluffing himself up around the ladies... sigh...