Egg laying

[DebAnneDigi]

Run is 12x10, 6 chickens, 3 Buffs, 2 barred Rick, 1 RI Red. The red and 2 buffs are laying eggs about a month already.. I get 3 eggs a day. They chose to sleep in coop, the other 3 sleep in rafters of run. Should I lock the non egg layers, in coop, till they start laying? There are 3 nesting boxes only one is bring used. When I’m not around they stay in run. I keep checking around for eggs in run and base if coop. There are none.

 

[DobieLover]

Locking the non-layers in the coop isn't going to make them lay. They'll lay when their bodies have matured to the point they release an ova into the plumbing to form an egg.
How much roost space, in linear feet, is in the coop?
How large is the coop in ft x ft?

 

[littledog]

Out of six hens that are pretty young, I think getting three eggs a day is pretty good for going into winter. Do you know for sure which ones are laying and which are not, or are you making a guess based on who is roosting in the coop? I wouldn't be too worried, unless you are still only getting three eggs by April or May.
Also, it's pretty normal for them to all lay in one nest box.

 

[JustCallMeMaple]

They will lay when they lay. Each breed may say lays by x week but some mature slower than others even in a breed. It's frustrating to wait for them to lay but it's ok. Just treat them like the others and you'll see their behavior will slowly shift they'll get their combs and waddles all red and eggs will happen. First eggs aren't always perfect. I'm sure you have plenty of calcium/oyster shell for them. You can lead a horse to water but can't make them drink, you can force a chicken in a box but can't make them lay until they are ready. I'm right there waiting for my favorite hen to lay (she's 19wks red comb and waddle) starting to squat a bit and chattier by a lot. Waiting is the hard part. 100% hard to be patient when you're anxious and excited.

 

[DebAnneDigi]

Out of six hens that are pretty young, I think getting three eggs a day is pretty good for going into winter. Do you know for sure which ones are laying and which are not, or are you making a guess based on who is roosting in the coop? I wouldn't be too worried, unless you are still only getting three eggs by April or May.
Also, it's pretty normal for them to all lay in one nest box.

The egg layers are the 3 that sleep in the coop, the run roosters don’t even go in coop. The RI Red, first to give me an egg the buff I saw in box, I’m assuming the other buff too. Do they get impacted if they do not expel eggs?
All are about 25 weeks old…

 

[Ridgerunner]

The egg layers are the 3 that sleep in the coop, the run roosters don’t even go in coop. The RI Red, first to give me an egg the buff I saw in box, I’m assuming the other buff too.

You say you are assuming. That can lead you down the wrong path. If you want to find out which are laying, look at their vent. A soft big pink vent means they are laying eggs or are real close to laying eggs. A tight dry vent means they are not laying. Once you see it you can easily tell the difference. That doesn't tell you how often they are laying, just that they are laying. You may have more than you think or it may be different ones. Just because they are in a nest doesn't mean they are laying.

Part of the egg laying process is deciding where to lay an egg. My pullets tend to lay where others are already laying. That doesn't mean that all of them do, just that most of them do. Occasionally one will make a nest somewhere else. Each one is an individual and might do their own thing, that can make some of this frustrating.

Do you have fake eggs in all three nests to show them where they might want to lay? I use golf balls, you can get ceramic or wooden eggs at a craft shop. That doesn't guarantee that they will actually lay in the nests but it improves your odds.

I hate to open this bag of worms because some people are likely to freak out because your chickens are sleeping in the run with winter coming. People in colder climates than yours have had chickens sleeping in trees. I don't know how sheltered your run is, these trees tend to be in a pretty sheltered area. In colder climates chickens need good ventilation and protection from a cold wind. You can't get better ventilation than sleeping in a tree or probably sleeping in your run. The question may be if a cold wind can hit them out there. They will probably come down off the roosts if a cold wind hits them and seek shelter but probably doesn't always mean always.

You can train them to sleep in the coop if you wish. Go out there after they are on the rafters and asleep so they are easy to catch and lock them in the coop overnight. When I do that I just toss them on the coop floor and let them work things out about where they sleep. They always do. Sometimes I only do this once and they put themselves to sleep in the coop the next night. Sometimes I have to do this on several consecutive nights before they all get the message. I would not leave them locked in the coop only until they lay, that could be months, but this way you will know that they know where the nests are.

When I’m not around they stay in run.

This implies that they already know where the nests are as it sounds like they go in the coop when you are around. I don't think you have to do anything to get them to lay in the nests when they do start laying.

Do they get impacted if they do not expel eggs?
All are about 25 weeks old…

They can have egg laying issues, prolapse, egg bound, and internal laying. That's generally due to a defective hen, not because they choose to not lay. The vast majority get it right so don't worry about that. Them being late to start laying helps with this. Their internal egg making factory has had more time to mature so they are better able to handle egg laying.

 

[arwoon]

Run is 12x10, 6 chickens, 3 Buffs, 2 barred Rick, 1 RI Red. The red and 2 buffs are laying eggs about a month already.. I get 3 eggs a day. They chose to sleep in coop, the other 3 sleep in rafters of run. Should I lock the non egg layers, in coop, till they start laying? There are 3 nesting boxes only one is bring used. When I’m not around they stay in run. I keep checking around for eggs in run and base if coop. There are none.

You mentioned 6 chickens. Have you made sure none of them are roosters? That would maybe be a reason some are not laying.

 

[DebAnneDigi]

The egg layers are the 3 that sleep in the coop, the run roosters don’t even go in coop. The RI Red, first to give me an egg the buff I saw in box, I’m assuming the other buff too. Do they get impacted if they do not expel eggs?
All are about 25 weeks old…

Locking the non-layers in the coop isn't going to make them lay. They'll lay when their bodies have matured to the point they release an ova into the plumbing to form an egg.
How much roost space, in linear feet, is in the coop?
How large is the coop in ft x ft?

There are 2 roosting bars in coop and 2lower bars…

You mentioned 6 chickens. Have you made sure none of them are roosters? That would maybe be a reason some are not laying.

25 weeks old… I don’t think any are roosters…wouldn’t they be crowing or at least trying to subdue a female

 

[DebAnneDigi]

There are 2 roosting bars in coop and 2lower bars…

25 weeks old… I don’t think any are roosters…wouldn’t they be crowing or at least trying to subdue a female

The actual coop is an extra large farm store coop. The enclosed predator proof run is 10x12’

Locking the non-layers in the coop isn't going to make them lay. They'll lay when their bodies have matured to the point they release an ova into the plumbing to form an egg.
How much roost space, in linear feet, is in the coop?
How large is the coop in ft x ft?

‎84 x 40 x 57 inches… 2 rafters at peek, 3 roost there. 2 roosting bars at bottom… the non egg layers roost together at 6’ in corner of run

 

[DebAnneDigi]

You say you are assuming. That can lead you down the wrong path. If you want to find out which are laying, look at their vent. A soft big pink vent means they are laying eggs or are real close to laying eggs. A tight dry vent means they are not laying. Once you see it you can easily tell the difference. That doesn't tell you how often they are laying, just that they are laying. You may have more than you think or it may be different ones. Just because they are in a nest doesn't mean they are laying.

Part of the egg laying process is deciding where to lay an egg. My pullets tend to lay where others are already laying. That doesn't mean that all of them do, just that most of them do. Occasionally one will make a nest somewhere else. Each one is an individual and might do their own thing, that can make some of this frustrating.

Do you have fake eggs in all three nests to show them where they might want to lay? I use golf balls, you can get ceramic or wooden eggs at a craft shop. That doesn't guarantee that they will actually lay in the nests but it improves your odds.

I hate to open this bag of worms because some people are likely to freak out because your chickens are sleeping in the run with winter coming. People in colder climates than yours have had chickens sleeping in trees. I don't know how sheltered your run is, these trees tend to be in a pretty sheltered area. In colder climates chickens need good ventilation and protection from a cold wind. You can't get better ventilation than sleeping in a tree or probably sleeping in your run. The question may be if a cold wind can hit them out there. They will probably come down off the roosts if a cold wind hits them and seek shelter but probably doesn't always mean always.

You can train them to sleep in the coop if you wish. Go out there after they are on the rafters and asleep so they are easy to catch and lock them in the coop overnight. When I do that I just toss them on the coop floor and let them work things out about where they sleep. They always do. Sometimes I only do this once and they put themselves to sleep in the coop the next night. Sometimes I have to do this on several consecutive nights before they all get the message. I would not leave them locked in the coop only until they lay, that could be months, but this way you will know that they know where the nests are.


This implies that they already know where the nests are as it sounds like they go in the coop when you are around. I don't think you have to do anything to get them to lay in the nests when they do start laying.


They can have egg laying issues, prolapse, egg bound, and internal laying. That's generally due to a defective hen, not because they choose to not lay. The vast majority get it right so don't worry about that. Them being late to start laying helps with this. Their internal egg making factory has had more time to mature so they are better able to handle egg laying.