Egg laying while standing up

[Emily D]

I have six Isa Brown hens who started laying two to three weeks ago. Four of them lay in the nest box, one on the floor randomly, and one while sitting on the roost. However they all lay standing up.

In the nest boxes they hunch over because there is no room to stand up so the eggs are fine.

The one who lays on the floor(my little rebel) will sit down for ten minutes, get up, walk around and drop an egg wherever she is which always breaks the egg even though it lands on hay/straw.

The sixth hen, I don't think she knows that she is laying an egg because she lays them from the roost which is two feet off the ground(of course shattering them) and wlks away as if everything is hunkydory.

So my question is how do I keep the two odd hens from breaking the eggs when they lay?

 

[Farm Girl 1]

If you want them to lay in the boxes, I've heard that putting golf balls or ceramic eggs in the nestting boxes might help. Or if you see a chicken looking like she's about to lay pick her up and put her in the laying box.

 

[lazy gardener]

It's normal for them to stand while laying... I think. I've often seen it in my nest box. The roost and coop layers... have they just started laying? If so, they'll probably get the hang of it. could you put a bale of hay under the roost for extra padding? Are you offering your gals extra calcium besides what's in their layer pellets?

 

[Emily D]

If you want them to lay in the boxes, I've heard that putting golf balls or ceramic eggs in the nestting boxes might help. Or if you see a chicken looking like she's about to lay pick her up and put her in the laying box.

There are fake eggs in the nest box but they tend to not lay in the boxes that have an egg in them.

It's normal for them to stand while laying... I think.  I've often seen it in my nest box.  The roost and coop layers... have they just started laying?  If so, they'll probably get the hang of it.  could you put a bale of hay under the roost for extra padding?  Are you offering your gals extra calcium besides what's in their layer pellets?  

Well that is reassuring at least. Yes they started laying a couple weeks ago. There is already hay under it which is why I'm confused about how the eggs break so easily. And yes they have oyster shells and dried egg shells available to them that they eat after they eat their food.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you can figure out who is laying on the roost, and if you can figure out when she is getting restless, and ready to lay an egg, then you can put her in the nest box to help her get the idea. So take all the fake eggs out of some of the boxes. Good luck. I just love it when a new layer figures out the nest box thing!

 

[Emily D]

If you can figure out who is laying on the roost, and if you can figure out when she is getting restless, and ready to lay an egg, then you can put her in the nest box to help her get the idea.  So take all the fake eggs out of some of the boxes.  Good luck.  I just love it when a new layer figures out the nest box thing!  

Oh my goodness thank you. I tryed with both of them. One got the hint and now lays in the nest box. However, the other one is the problem. She seems to have a privacy issue so I put her in the nest box but she hopped out so I put her back in the other way and held up my jacket to block the view and she really liked that but it took her an HOUR to lay the egg(completely tiring my arms out) and in the last minute hopped onto my shoulder onto the ground and laid her egg in my hand. It was cool but I prefer she lay in the box if you know what I mean

 

[Emily D]

:cd

 

[ElysianAcres]

Hang up some curtains in the nest box! Not joking. You don't have to sew or make them fancy, just get some old cloth the size of the box opening, make a slit up the middle so they can get in and out, and staple it up. It works beautifully to give the girls privacy, and deters nasty habits like pecking at the eggs from starting.

 

[Emily D]

Hang up some curtains in the nest box! Not joking. You don't have to sew or make them fancy, just get some old cloth the size of the box opening, make a slit up the middle so they can get in and out, and staple it up. It works beautifully to give the girls privacy, and deters nasty habits like pecking at the eggs from starting.

Thanks! I think I'll try that!