Don't Break the Eggs

[stroisi]

We got one egg from one of the 9 hens on Monday who are 21 weeks old. However, it had a crack. It was layed in one of the boxes, but the chickens keep kicking the shavings out of the box. Leaving a hard wood bottom. 2 Questions. What's the hold up? Once they start to lay, don't they lay one every day? #2, how do you keep the shavings in the box? Or should we use something else in the box for cushion

 

[acid_chipmunk]

It takes a little while to get all the "kinks" worked out of their internal system when they start laying, so no, they don't lay every day once they start. Give them a few weeks and they should be, but keep in mind that they do take a day off every so many eggs.

As for the nest boxes, try hay instead. It's much harder to kick that out than shavings.

 

[33yardbirds]

We took shelf lining, the rubber kind that comes in rolls and placed it under the straw double layer, no more cracked eggs.

 

[buckabucka]

I don't know anyone else who did this, but we used hardware cloth for the floor of the nest box (it is a large community box). It has a little give. I put a layer of straw over that (to keep the wood shavings from falling through), and topped it off with wood shavings. It looks great, but I can't say how it works. We are still waiting for eggs! 15 weeks now, hopefully, only a month to go!

Robin

 

[stroisi]

Thank you so much for the suggestions. One last question. Just got the 2nd egg. Is it ok to eat?

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
I use oat straw, cushions the eggs as long as you keep it at a decent depth. It is a lot harder for them to kick out and I have less problem in the winter with frozen eggs. Just stuff the box full and they will rearrange it to make a cozy nest.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
Why not? Of course it is good to eat, isn't that what eggs are for?

(I'm joshing with you--go ahead and eat it.)