Chicken laying under slide.

[Busht7]

Hello everyone I have a chicken laying outside under the slide and not in the nesting box. She has laid about three times in the nesting box but I just discovered 10 eggs under the play slide. All my hens came to me April 29th as day old chicks. She is the only one laying and she's a Jersey Giant she might be a bit older. One of my chicks passed and my local feed store gave her to me for free.

Any tips on getting her to lay in the nesting box?

Also are the eggs still good to eat?

 

[ronott1]

Hello everyone I have a chicken laying outside under the slide and not in the nesting box. She has laid about three times in the nesting box but I just discovered 10 eggs under the play slide. All my hens came to me April 29th as day old chicks. She is the only one laying and she's a Jersey Giant she might be a bit older. One of my chicks passed and my local feed store gave her to me for free.

Any tips on getting her to lay in the nesting box?

Also are the eggs still good to eat?

The eggs are likely fine but crack them into a bowl before using them to make sure.

Usually they will move back to the nest box when you remove the eggs and rake the the hidden nest back to normal

 

[Lizzy733]

Have you already provided fake eggs in their intended nesting area?
I find all my hens lay around sun-up, so also restricting them to the coop in the morning where they have nowhere else to lay may help. With that haul, it looks like she's been laying for a while or getting help.
Was she brooding over the nest when you found it, or just casually collecting?

 

[Busht7]

The eggs are likely fine but crack them into a bowl before using them to make sure.

Usually they will move back to the nest box when you remove the eggs and rake the the hidden nest back to normal

The eggs are likely fine but crack them into a bowl before using them to make sure.

Usually they will move back to the nest box when you remove the eggs and rake the the hidden nest back to normal

Thank you! I will wash them and put then In the fridge. These the first round of eggs I have ever really gotten. I was so excited to see them all under the slide ! What should I look for when I crack them to make sure they are okay to eat?

 

[Busht7]

Have you already provided fake eggs in their intended nesting area?
I find all my hens lay around sun-up, so also restricting them to the coop in the morning where they have nowhere else to lay may help. With that haul, it looks like she's been laying for a while or getting help.
Was she brooding over the nest when you found it, or just casually collecting?

I have noticed that she had been hanging out by herself while the other five hang together in the woods. The other day I couldn't find her and she came out from under the slide and I looked and didnt see eggs. But today I looked and found all ten maybe they were hidden well. She is normally with the ground maybe while she was away she was making her nest. So I think she's just collecting them. When I lifted up the slide she didnt act any certain way.

 

[Busht7]

I have noticed that she had been hanging out by herself while the other five hang together in the woods. The other day I couldn't find her and she came out from under the slide and I looked and didnt see eggs. But today I looked and found all ten maybe they were hidden well. She is normally with the ground maybe while she was away she was making her nest. So I think she's just collecting them. When I lifted up the slide she didnt act any certain way.

Also I will get a fake egg for her and put it in her box

 

[Lizzy733]

They will steal eggs from other nests to move to their own too.. you sure she's the only one laying?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you! I will wash them and put then In the fridge. These the first round of eggs I have ever really gotten. I was so excited to see them all under the slide ! What should I look for when I crack them to make sure they are okay to eat?

I personally wouldn't eat them (has it been raining at all, any chance that those eggs got wet?) but if you're going to, check the outside shell to make sure there's no damage like cracks, chips, then once you crack them, if there's anything that seems off (any smell, anything that visually looks "wrong") I would toss them. As an extra safety precaution I'd cook these well, no sunny side up!

 

[Busht7]

I personally wouldn't eat them (has it been raining at all, any chance that those eggs got wet?) but if you're going to, check the outside shell to make sure there's no damage like cracks, chips, then once you crack them, if there's anything that seems off (any smell, anything that visually looks "wrong") I would toss them. As an extra safety precaution I'd cook these well, no sunny side up!

I don't think they could have gotten wet they were well tucked up under the slide.

 

[Busht7]

They will steal eggs from other nests to move to their own too.. you sure she's the only one laying?

I have only seen her interested in the laying boxes. She is the only one that will go back in the coop when they are all out free ranging. I have checked after she goes back in and found an egg. And since they were all under the slide unless she can get them from the woods to under there I don't think the other are laying.