Ceramic Eggs in the Nest Box- hens still laying elsewhere

[Sonic Pug]

Hi all. Two of my girls just starting laying this week. On Wednesday I found my very first egg right in the middle of the sandy run. The next two days, same thing. Today a second girl started to lay too, she layed inside the hen house but not in the nesting boxes. I have straw and ceramic eggs in the boxes. It looks like they investigated the boxes but still layed elsewhere. Is this because they are new to this? Is there anything else I can be doing? Thanks

 

[Mahonri]

Sounds like you are doing things right.

What do your nest boxes look like?

Are they secluded. Mine like the enclosed, darker boxes.

 

[Sonic Pug]

Sounds like you are doing things right.

What do your nest boxes look like?

Are they secluded. Mine like the enclosed, darker boxes.

Yes the boxes are pretty dark. It seems to me like a good place the hens would want to lay. It was two Easter Eggers that started to lay. Does it matter that the ceramic eggs are white instead of green? I didn't think it would matter but now I'm wondering...

 

[gryeyes]

The color of the faux eggs doesn't really matter.

I believe your girls are just inexperienced. Right now, they aren't quite used to the sensations of Imminent Egg. They lay it where they are when their bodies want to expel the eggs. A good friend of mine likened the Egg Song to hens simply shouting "An egg fell out of my butt! An egg fell out of my butt!"

 

[TEXASSCENT]

WHEN I PUT THE CERAMIC EGG IN NEST BOXES THE "BIG BOSS BIRD" CAME RIGHT ALONG BEHIND ME AND SCOOPED THEM OUT. WE WENT AT THIS FOR A WHILE AND I FINALLY GAVE UP. THERE ARE TWO NEST BOXES THEY WILL NOT LAY IN. THESE BOXES ARE EXACTLY LIKE THE ONE THEY ALL CROWD IN TO LAY.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Did you say how high off the ground the nesting boxes are? I find the inexperienced pullets like them rather low, thus, they often choose the low floor?

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

I'm having a very similar problem only mine are not new layers. They used to lay in the nest boxes and ever since I put straw bales on one side they have decided that they are going to lay on the ground around the bales. Ugh!! Every time I put straw in the nest boxes now they immediately scratch it all out. I'm so frustrated and wish I knew why they have decided to do this now!!!

 

[Rubybver13]

I have my white layers seperate from my brown and green layers. White layers are good about using their nesting boxes

. With my brown and green layers they won't use two boxes they crowd into one everyday, I put straws in the boxes and there is one or two hens that pull out all the straws and I have to rake it out when they make a mess, because I don't want them to lay on the ground. If there was a straw mat for these hens boxes it would be wonderful. I wouldn't have to worry about raking up straws every other day.

 

[Bluespade00]

They make laying mats that look like the old 70s plastic grass doormats, only they are gray. Commercial egg producers use them. They cost about $4 for about 1' square. The supposed advantage is that they wash easily and don't harbor parasites. Farmtek carries them. They might provide a solution to hens kicking the straw out.