Egg Laying

[Jamief760]

I have two 6 month old hens. I was starting to question why they haven't started laying yet, until Monday morning I discovered their "stash" inside of a bamboo tree in my backyard. I was surprised to have found almost 18 eggs! I was super stoked and collected the eggs. Now, ever since I collected the eggs from their now "not so hidden nesting spot", there hasn't been any eggs at all. I put two of the eggs back there, hoping they would remember where they lay and nothing...is this normal? Or what should I do?

 

[JaeG]

They are probably stashing them somewhere else since you found their first nest. Can you keep them penned until they have laid for the day? Put some fake eggs or golf balls in your nestboxes - chickens like to lay where other chickens have laid their eggs.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC @JaeG Said what I was going to say. When you have a sec, pop over to new member introductions and introduce yourself to the group. Again welcome and we're so glad you've joined us

 

[Jamief760]

They are probably stashing them somewhere else since you found their first nest. Can you keep them penned until they have laid for the day? Put some fake eggs or golf balls in your nestboxes - chickens like to lay where other chickens have laid their eggs.

 

[Jamief760]

I do keep them in their coop until I'm home from work, then I let them out to cruise around my backyard/ property. I have checked every where thinking the same thing, that maybe they're laying somewhere else since I found their first nest but no luck. I will do the fake eggs in their nesting box and try that. Thanks so much

 

[Jamief760]

Hi and welcome to BYC @JaeG Said what I was going to say. When you have a sec, pop over to new member introductions and introduce yourself to the group. Again welcome and we're so glad you've joined us

 

[Jamief760]

I will most definitely do that! Thanks so much!

 

[Redguitar77]

I have two 6 month old hens. I was starting to question why they haven't started laying yet, until Monday morning I discovered their "stash" inside of a bamboo tree in my backyard. I was surprised to have found almost 18 eggs! I was super stoked and collected the eggs. Now, ever since I collected the eggs from their now "not so hidden nesting spot", there hasn't been any eggs at all. I put two of the eggs back there, hoping they would remember where they lay and nothing...is this normal? Or what should I do?

That's quite the treasure trove! How exciting.

 

[Jamief760]

I was so excited to find that! Especially finding that stash after i was starting to wonder why they hadn't started laying yet lol.

 

[rjohns39]

I was so excited to find that! Especially finding that stash after i was starting to wonder why they hadn't started laying yet lol.

First eggs are so exciting--that said, their ability to hide them is not