Egg out of nest. Why?

[Kitchenella]

Hi,

Today and yesterday I found an egg outside the nesting box. I only have two hens laying. This egg is from the one who has been laying regularly every day in a cardboard nest box on the floor of a corner of the coop. Yesterday we had a bunch of children visiting and, until I stopped them, they were opening the side door of the coop and peeking at the chickens. Rex was nesting at the time. I thought that maybe she accidentally knocked the egg out in a panic. However today everything is quiet and when I heard Rex announcing her newest egg I went out to collect the egg and found it sitting outside the nest on a bare spot where the paper litter was all kicked away.

Is this common behavior? If it continues what should I do. I'm pretty sure she laid the egg in the nest.

Peggy


Here is a picture of my coop before I put in the paper shred litter. You can see the nest box in the corner

 

[Opa]

It is pretty common. I still get the occasional floor egg. Maybe she got a little rattled with all of the commotion from the visiting kids.

 

[MissPrissy]

You never know what sets a hen off and starts her laying in another location. Put some golf balls or ceraminc eggs in the nest where you want her to lay and see if it encourages her to lay in the next box.

 

[mylilchix]

I often wonder if they wait to long to get to the nest box when they get the urge to lay. I had an austrlorp in the nest box when I went to let the girls out this morning. She hopped out when she saw me throwing scratch for them. About 5 minutes later I did one last check of the coop before I went in, someone was making quite a racket, and there was an egg outside near their water. I'm wondering if she got distracted with breakfast and then relaized she needed to lay that egg.

Sonja

 

[wings]

This has happened to my flock, too. Make sure there is comfortable litter in the box, that it is in a somewhat private spot, and yes, a golf ball or fake egg does encourage the girls to lay in their boxes. I still get the occasional floor egg, but it's nothing to really worry about!

 

[silkie-mom]

My silkies are starting to lay, have been for the last couple months.

I find eggs all over the place. In the box, outside on the ground, on the floor of the coop.

It's like they just poop them out and walk away.
I don't plan to have them set and hatch any, so this is fine with me. I am glad they don't seem to really want the eggs, because this way I know they will never get broody over them and refuse to leave the nest until they hatch.

I just gather the eggs each day and put them in the fridge.
f course i always say thank you......and give them a treat.

 

[HorseFeathers]

We've had eggs laid on the roost overnight.