Egg laying behavior

[apryl29]

We had the same problem with our girls pulling all of the straw out of the boxes. My husband found nesting pads on Amazon (10 pk) they fit like a glove and now we do not have anymore broken eggs.
We placed loose straw on top so they have something to scratch and move around.

I looked it up and there's 2 different kinds.. One that is straw, and another that is plastic. Which one do you use? If it's the straw kind, are they easily torn up by scratching?
https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Pe...8&qid=1506085544&sr=8-4&keywords=nesting+pads
https://www.amazon.com/WASHABLE-NES...8&qid=1506085544&sr=8-5&keywords=nesting+pads

 

[rosemarythyme]

Folded feed bags work wonderfully, they can be folded to fit most size boxes, and are free.

I pick up eggs usually twice a day. Sometimes more (if the weather is bad) and sometimes less. Chickens don't usually lay every day so I was averaging about 3 eggs a day (from 4 birds) through summer, now down to 2 a day with autumn upon us.

 

[sawilliams]

Once they get the hang of things once a day is usually enough. Most times hens will be done laying by about 2 or 3pm but never count out a chance for a late layer. I usually do my collecting around 5pm when i let the chickens out to free range and look again when i lock then up for the night. If you have to physically lock them up at night and let them out in the morning then night is always an easy time to check.

Keep in mind if temps get down to freezing there is always a chance the eggs can freeze and crack so checking more often on cold days might be ideal for you the first year, but since most will stop laying during winter that's usually not an issue once your hens are a little older

 

[Krisabelle]

I looked it up and there's 2 different kinds.. One that is straw, and another that is plastic. Which one do you use? If it's the straw kind, are they easily torn up by scratching?
https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Pe...8&qid=1506085544&sr=8-4&keywords=nesting+pads
https://www.amazon.com/WASHABLE-NES...8&qid=1506085544&sr=8-5&keywords=nesting+pads

We bought the straw ones. They have a backing so they don't come apart easily.
They work great. No more broken eggs!!!!

 

[apryl29]

Thanks! I'll have to invest in some for at least the laying boxes they actually use. I have a couple ladies who think a few of the boxes are their personal toilets.

 

[aart]

I have a couple ladies who think a few of the boxes are their personal toilets.

Are they sleeping in the nests?
Bad habit needs to be changed.

 

[apryl29]

Nope, they sleep on the roosts at night. I'm not sure if they just like to hang out in the boxes during the day. During the day they're outside when I go over there, but they usually hear us coming and go running out or hurry to the door to be let out. I've gone to check on them at night and all but my bantam cockerel sleeps on the roosts. The cockerel actually sleeps on the feed bin by the door (I think he's watching over the ladies). I was going to put some boards along the edges to enclose the boxes for privacy which will likely stop them from using them as a toilet, but I've been busy w/ other stuff (mites & sneezing), & we have way more nesting boxes than we need, 8 boxes for 12 pullets, so I haven't been concerned.

 

[aart]

we have way more nesting boxes than we need, 8 boxes for 12 pullets, so I haven't been concerned.

Hopefully they are keeping the different butt nuggets in different nests

 

[apryl29]

LOL Yes, they rarely, if ever, lay in the same nest they poop in. I do clean them out every day so it helps keep it from getting super gross. I've seen it happen a couple of times, but I think it was b/c they were new layers and didn't realize what was happening. I've also had a couple soft shell eggs that were stuck to their poop board. Then the random egg laid in the run/ on the coop floor. I always wonder if they're just standing there and they fall out thinking they're pooping.. completely unaware that it was an egg.

 

[aart]

Soft shells are 'harder' to move down the pipe....I've seen them act very weird when one's coming...and they do tend to drop them whereever instead of going to a nest.