Egg laying issues...

[jsweitz]

I have 9 hens who all should be laying by now, but only get an average of 2 eggs a day. ( 4 silver laced Wyandotte and 5 barred rocks) The hens are newer layers, but it still feel my average should be a lot higher. We free range our flock and they go to their coop at night to protect them from predictors. They started to lay in a community nest and now we never see eggs in the nest. They occasionally lay in the coop, but it's in the middle on the floor! Any suggestions!? I am very new to chickens, but have had a flock of Pekin ducks for a couple years, chickens and ducks are very different as chickens seem more temperamental!

(And my profile pic is not my coop, just a compost bin they love to eat in!)

 

[luvmypets]

Are you sure they arent laying in the run...

 

[jsweitz]

They range in about an acre of land.... If they are laying elsewhere the eggs would be impossible to find! How can I encourage them to lay in the nesting boxes?

 

[luvmypets]

Try putting fake eggs in the boxes or golfballs..

 

[iwiw60]

Put a golf ball in each nesting box....kinda gives them the idea.

 

[aart]

Lock them in the coop for a few days, with the fake egg thing going on, then keep them in the coop until they lay...mine are usually done about 2pm most days...for a few more days. Free range birds need to be 're-homed' to the coop nests once in a while.

 

[jsweitz]

Thanks to all yr suggestions! I have placed golf balls in the nests and did find one egg next to one of them yesterday. But today, someone scratch all the hay out of the nests! It was all on the floor I will also add more light to the coop this evening to see if that helps!

 

[iwiw60]

You might put up a 1 x 4 in front of the nesting boxes so the bedding doesn't get kicked out as easily...chickens...go figure!

 

[jsweitz]

Excellent suggestion - why didn't I think of that!?!?

 

[iwiw60]

Trust me, there's no such thing as a silly question....I ask them all the time!!