Egg laying

[DebAnneDigi]

I know the first egg and 2nd egg came from RI Red and a Buff..yesterday a Buff was circling locked run, I let her in and she went directly for nesting box. I will replace the ceramic eggs. And

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.

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.

I enclosed top where they are roosting, to cut down on wind, rain, snow, I hung a tarp on Northside, I purchase clear tarps for other 2sides to let sunlight in, also protect from elements… panels on access door.. there is some ventilation around whole bottom of run… Tonight, I’ll put the ceramic eggs back in and herd them into the coop. For a few nights, see if they get the hang of it…thanks for all the great tips!!

 

[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.

Today I got 4 eggs today from 6 chickens! I’ve been in the rafters, last 3 nights, bringing the 3 down to put them in coop. Today for the first time the 2 barred rock went in coop by themselves, only had to retrieve one buff.. I purchased battery operated twinkling lights, very subtle, go on at 4…I’ll keep retrieving till they all go in. Thank you much for your suggestions. This is a very helpful group

 

[littledog]

When I've had pullets that hatched in late spring or summer, and reached typical "egg-laying age" in late fall/winter, they almost always put off starting to lay until the days started getting longer in spring. This is pretty normal, since I don't have lights in my coop.

I think you're doing all the right things, they seem to have plenty of room, so I would just let them find their own schedule.

 

[DebAnneDigi]

When I've had pullets that hatched in late spring or summer, and reached typical "egg-laying age" in late fall/winter, they almost always put off starting to lay until the days started getting longer in spring. This is pretty normal, since I don't have lights in my coop.

I think you're doing all the right things, they seem to have plenty of room, so I would just let them find their own schedule.

They are quite funny. Like training puppies!!