Chickens not laying in egg crates

[Chris413]

Hello everyone, I have a slight dilemma. My chickens are not laying in their egg crates and I only find 1 egg a day with 4 birds. Which ever chicken is laying, prefers not to lay in the egg crates, but rather on the floor.

 

[SteveBaz]

Try setting up another kind of nest. NO BOX but free standing like just straw around the area they are laying under cover.

 

[1muttsfan]

Try placing wooden eggs or golf balls in the nest box(es), chickens always prefer a spot someone else has used.

 

[Chris413]

 

[Chris413]

Well speak of the devil, one of the chickens decided to go in the nesting box and lay. How do I get all of the chickens to use the box's? (Especially the top ones)

 

[Rwest]

Put a golf ball or fake egg in each nest box. It also may help if the sides were solid to offer a little more secure feeling.

 

[sunday]

Hello this is chickadee from Chickamauga Georgia ... I am having some of the same problems ... I have 10 hens 5 of them are laying the other 5 are still to young yet ... 1 of my layers is laying rubber like eggs ... and as soon as she lays it brakes and she lays it she eats it ... what do i do ??? ... she is acting all up set and running all over the hen house what could be her problem???? .... HELP

 

[Chris413]

Put a golf ball or fake egg in each nest box. It also may help if the sides were solid to offer a little more secure feeling.

So in a nutshell you're saying that I need to make my creates more secure For the chickens?

 

[KYTinpusher]

Hello this is chickadee from Chickamauga Georgia ... I am having some of the same problems ... I have 10 hens 5 of them are laying the other 5 are still to young yet ... 1 of my layers is laying rubber like eggs ... and as soon as she lays it brakes and she lays it she eats it ... what do i do ??? ... she is acting all up set and running all over the hen house what could be her problem???? .... HELP

She may need more calcium. Are you offering free-choice oyster shell or other source of calcium? If she is a new layer, it may just take her a little while for the inner workings to get in sync.

 

[KYTinpusher]

Quote: They generally like a darkened area under cover to lay in. If they can not find the right kind of place, some of them will just lay where they are standing when the urge hits. You could try draping a tarp over the top and sides of your boxes or put boards on the top and sides and see if that helps. Just know that you can offer them the most luxurious nesting box, but some will still prefer to lay off in a dark corner.