Egg Laying

Cajeeh

Hatching
Jul 29, 2019
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0
4
Hello everybody!

I am sure this has been posted many times on here, but I need advice how to get my hens to lay in their laying boxes. they just started laying within the last week, but we have found eggs around the yard, they are free rangers. Do I need to keep them in their coop for a day or two to coax them into laying in their boxes? We have 14 chickens, Five being roosters that we will have to cull. But for now I think they would go nuts all cooped up, yet if that is what I need to do...any advice from you experts?
 
I'm thinking you will have to keep them in s run for a while. I don't free range, and it took my RIR (first pullet to lay) about 3-4 days before she used the nest boxes.

Do you have any fake eggs or golf balls in the boxes? Helped mine figure things out.
 
Hello everybody!

I am sure this has been posted many times on here, but I need advice how to get my hens to lay in their laying boxes. they just started laying within the last week, but we have found eggs around the yard, they are free rangers. Do I need to keep them in their coop for a day or two to coax them into laying in their boxes? We have 14 chickens, Five being roosters that we will have to cull. But for now I think they would go nuts all cooped up, yet if that is what I need to do...any advice from you experts?
I would not confine them to the coop/run with all the cockerels with them.
Adding fake eggs or golf balls can help get the point across.
It does take some time for pullets to get into the practice of using the boxes.
Can you post pictures of their nest boxes?
 
Do I need to keep them in their coop for a day or two to coax them into laying in their boxes? We have 14 chickens, Five being roosters that we will have to cull.
More like a week...and definitely not with the males.
Get rid of the males asap(what are you waiting for?)
They may be harassing the females, interfering with laying.

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.
 
I also need advice, I have 7 barred rocks and all lay in the box except one. I have fake eggs in there at all times but constantly find one egg in the dirt. Could it be low hen in the pecking order or perhaps the nest box is always occupied and they cant wait??

My coop came with two nest boxes but they were pretty small so I took out the devider and made one large box. Should I try going back to two??? First year chicken keeper, sorry :-(
 
I also need advice, I have 7 barred rocks and all lay in the box except one. I have fake eggs in there at all times but constantly find one egg in the dirt. Could it be low hen in the pecking order or perhaps the nest box is always occupied and they cant wait??

My coop came with two nest boxes but they were pretty small so I took out the devider and made one large box. Should I try going back to two??? First year chicken keeper, sorry :-(

Maybe add a nest box or two??
 

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