Chickens destroying nest boxes?

[linebacker]

My pullets are 5 months old and I still don't have any eggs. When I put nest boxes in they pull out all the straw/hay and play with the golf balls I have in there for fake eggs. I have production blacks, delawares and dark cornish. I have not seen the first sign of an egg yet. I thought the production blacks should be laying and I possibly was dealing with an egg eater, but I cant prove it. I even put in two buckets yesterday to try the bucket nest box method. Same result this morning. They even tore one of the buckets down. Any ideas?
Thanks
Brad

 

[LynneP]

Oh my, they're having a grand time and poor you! Do they free-range? If so they may not know what these odd boxes are for. Are tyhere eggs hidden somewhere outdoors, maybe?

 

[Chirpy]

Ha, ha, ha! Sorry, hate to laugh but I think that's pretty much typical chicken behavior. Mine never like the way I have the shavings in the nest boxes and always rearrange it; they usually toss most of the shavings out onto the floor.

Your production Blacks should start laying any day now. The others I'm not sure about but 20 to 22 weeks (five months) is about the time that many other breeds start laying. Although some actually don't lay until they are 30 weeks or older!

 

[linebacker]

They do free range in the afternoons, the nest boxes are in their coop. If they're laying somewhere around the yard they are doing a great job hidding them.

 

[the simple life]

I thought it was just my production blacks that were so late in laying.
I always hear how early these birds lay, well mine are 6 months old and not one egg.
We have checked the entire yard too and came up with nothing.
I have the golf balls in my nest boxes too and they moved them around but thats about it.
Well, mine are 6 months old and I got nothing, so I don't know what the deal is.
I have 15 other girls who are 20 weeks, and are a variety, I don't see any sign of them laying yet either.

 

[Renee]

My Silver Campine started right on time at 20 weeks, but the two Wyandottes didn't start until 24 weeks, and the Speckled Sussex has not yet laid an egg at 31 weeks.
Perhaps you should try leaving them in the coop for a few days and only letting them out when you can keep an eagle eye on them. They are really sneaky, and it's simply amazing how well they can hide their eggs.

 

[Chirpy]

Woohoo! My black sex-link laid her first egg yesterday and she's 21 weeks old! (Interesting to me because my red sex-link laid at 16 weeks!)

 

[pax12]

my chicken are doing the same thing

 

[ChickenJoy]

"Mine never like the way I have the shavings in the nest boxes and always rearrange it; they usually toss most of the shavings out onto the floor."

My Delaware is 6 months old and has been laying for maybe a month now. She doesn't like when I approach the next and most of the time kicks out all of the shavings and or hay. I have also seen a peck in the end of the brown eggs - could be hers or her sister about the same age (we have some older girls that are molting so they aren't laying). I am concerned that the nest with no shavings will be too hard for the eggs and also about her pecking the bottom of her eggs. Not sure what steps to take next. I'd love some advice.