Cannot find eggs! Tips?

[TXmama4boys]

Hello! This is a first for me. We introduced some new chickens, and now we cannot find any eggs except for a few here and there scattered around the yard/wooded area. We have a big sunflower patch that is impossible to walk through, so we are thinking they are maybe in there.

My question is, what would be a good way to encourage them to lay back in the nesting boxes they used to use?

Any tips? Thanks yall!

 

[Reggan]

Even your original hens aren't laying in the boxes? Were they before the newbies came? I have 10 younger hens who still get pushed out of nesting boxes (a year later) and lay in all the places too.

 

[nuthatched]

Keep them locked in the coop until later in the day, so they're forced to lay on the coopm

 

[TXmama4boys]

Even your original hens aren't laying in the boxes? Were they before the newbies came? I have 10 younger hens who still get pushed out of nesting boxes (a year later) and lay in all the places too.

They were laying before the newbies came! And these new gals are pullets and aren’t even laying yet. I’m so confused! Lol

 

[TXmama4boys]

Keep them locked in the coop until later in the day, so they're forced to lay

We use our coop for them to roost at night and they are let out first thing in the morning. It is too small for them to be in during the day… otherwise, I would definitely do that!

 

[nuthatched]

We use our coop for them to roost at night and they are let out first thing in the morning. It is too small for them to be in during the day… otherwise, I would definitely do that!

Can you build a run?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Can you build a run?

Or make the coop bigger? But a run would probably be best. But if it’s too small for them to be in for an extended length of time, it’s probably too small in general. They should be able to be confined in case there’s a bad storm for a few days or you need to go away or whatever.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

They were laying before the newbies came! And these new gals are pullets and aren’t even laying yet. I’m so confused! Lol

Sounds like the hens were irked by the pullets being nosey, maybe?

 

[Mrs. K]

You need more attractive nests for them. If the coop is small, it might be too hot in there. You might need to temporarily fence off the sunflowers.

Take something like a small dog crate or 5 gallon buckets on their side, held so the don’t roll, or a card board box, with the top flap hanging down, add a curtain to the others with a glue gun. Just covering the top half of the entrance. Add in bedding or a nesting pad, add several golf balls or egg shaped rocks.

Cross your fingers, and you might get some takers. My chickens seem to love a new nest. Will nest faithfully in a nest for weeks, then pick a different one.

 

[C Siena]

Maybe placing fake eggs and/or golf balls in the nest boxes. Most of our hens want to lay in the box with the golf ball. I tested and placed a golf ball in 3 of 4 boxes, then after a few days, moved 1 ball to the empty box...suddenly they were using that box and leaving the empty box alone, unless someone Really had to release the egg.