Confused Silkie

[Fthersnfur4fun]

I have 12 pullets that are right at laying age. One of them is a Silkie and the only one that is scared to death of us. She started laying almost 2 weeks ago. The only problem is she is laying either on the floor of the coop or on the poop board. We have 5 nest boxes with a fake egg in each one but she’s not laying in any of them. What else can we do to get her in the right place? I’m hoping maybe once the others start laying they’ll use the boxes and she’ll follow suit.

 

[PioneerChicks]

Are your nesting boxes elevated?
My silkies sometimes prefer the floor because they are too lazy to fly up. Flying is more difficult for them and though they can sometimes make it up they often choose not too. I just made them a little nesting box at ground level.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have 12 pullets that are right at laying age. One of them is a Silkie and the only one that is scared to death of us. She started laying almost 2 weeks ago. The only problem is she is laying either on the floor of the coop or on the poop board. We have 5 nest boxes with a fake egg in each one but she’s not laying in any of them. What else can we do to get her in the right place? I’m hoping maybe once the others start laying they’ll use the boxes and she’ll follow suit.

Have you physically moved her into a nesting box? I do this sometimes when I have ladies that haven't figured it out yet. They will catch on after a few tries usually.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Are your nesting boxes elevated?
My silkies sometimes prefer the floor because they are too lazy to fly up. Flying is more difficult for them and though they can sometimes make it up they often choose not too. I just made them a little nesting box at ground level.

My silkies like elevated nesting boxes, & the floor. Some are just picky. I even set up a nesting box on the floor, which they refused.

 

[Fthersnfur4fun]

Are your nesting boxes elevated?
My silkies sometimes prefer the floor because they are too lazy to fly up. Flying is more difficult for them and though they can sometimes make it up they often choose not too. I just made them a little nesting box at ground level.

Actually we just moved the nest boxes under the poop board so now they are more ground level.

 

[Fthersnfur4fun]

Have you physically moved her into a nesting box? I do this sometimes when I have ladies that haven't figured it out yet. They will catch on after a few tries usually.

We can’t even get close to her. As soon as she sees us coming she runs to the back of their run or hides under the bush in their run.

 

[MysteryChicken]

We can’t even get close to her. As soon as she sees us coming she runs to the back of their run or hides under the bush in their run.

So, she's a drama Queen?

 

[Fthersnfur4fun]

So, she's a drama Queen?

Very much so. She runs away and then stands there and screams because everyone else is hanging with us.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Very much so. She runs away and then stands there and screams because everyone else is hanging with us.

I've had a Buff Orpington like this. Her name was Drama Queen.

 

[Fthersnfur4fun]

Very much so. She runs away and then stands there and screams because everyone else is hanging with us.

I guess we’ll just have to watch where we walk when we go into the coop. Hopefully the rest of them will figure it out.