confused

[team guava pastry]

We have 4 chochins and they are just starting to lay. That's where the confusing part is.
I let them free range 90% of the time and they still go in their coop for food and water, the gate is open all the time when they are out.

They are sitting in their nesting box (I caught one of them in it today) the boxes are in the coop where it's quite so they can do thier thing. Shoud I leave the golf balls inside the nesting box>

So why are they laying outside on the ground? I've found 2 eggs in the last 2 days outside. So what gives?

I not sure who's more confused me or them?

any help

thanks
tgp

 

[BCMominMD]

I think if you close them up for a few days so they have to lay in the nest boxes, they will learn. Then you can let them back out to free range and they will come back in to lay.
I will let a more experienced person confirm this.

 

[team guava pastry]

I hate locking them up.

They all stand there and if they could talk I'm sure it would be something like, "What the hell did we do?"

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have put golfballs in the nest boxes, and locking them up is really the only way to make them lay in the nest boxes. You can let them out after they have all laid their eggs. they will eventually get the idea, and then they will be fine.

But of course, it's your call if you don't want to lock them up. You'll just have to get used to them laying their eggs all over the place.

 

[Judy]

Definitely leave the golf balls in the nests. Hopefully, they will all be laying in the nesting boxes within a few weeks, when they figure it all out. Mine did; I think it took about three weeks before I stopped finding any eggs on the floor of the coop. Since the food and water are in the coop, they should catch on.

Locking them in the coop still would be no guarantee they would use the nest boxes.

Do they sleep in the nest boxes? That might be a problem, if they do.

 

[ChooksChick]

My experience has been that when they first start to lay, they don't know when they've actually dropped the egg- they get up from the box before they're done, and then drop it outside later 'by accident.'

I let them do this for a while and they have always gotten the hang of it.

If they are making a nest outside and laying the eggs in it, that's a little different than just dropping the eggs somewhere they lounge around during the day- is this a secure feeling area they have CHOSEN to lay, or is it just bumbling early layer syndrome?

 

[team guava pastry]

nope its right outside the run where the gate is.

Almost like what you said, they were in the nesting box inside the coop and for what ever reason they got up and plop out it came outside.

I'll keep them in the coop a little longer tomorrow and see what happens.

thanks for the info.

tgp

 

[cmom]

I would put golf ball in their nest boxes. Some people use fake eggs. If they continue to lay outside then shut them in the coop for a few days.