Eggs Being Laid in the Run

[Tendonuts]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anybody has ran into the issue of eggs being laid in the run instead of the coop or nesting boxes? We have three 6-month old Rhode Island Red Hens that usually lays 1 egg each per day in the nesting boxes within 6 hours of them waking up, but today for some reason one of them didn't lay within the usual time. We went out in the afternoon, got home a couple of hours later and found an egg lying in the dirt floor of the run, and another lying in the corner of the run, all torn up. Is this normal behaviour? Should I be concerned?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[Neggative]

whats your chickens to nesting box ratio?

 

[Tendonuts]

whats your chickens to nesting box ratio?

We have 3 boxes to 3 chickens. The boxes are about 12"x 12"x 12"each.

 

[Neggative]

thats all good.... you could try putting some fake eggs or gold balls in there... and put a bunch of straw in there! they love that!

 

[Tendonuts]

thats all good.... you could try putting some fake eggs or gold balls in there... and put a bunch of straw in there! they love that!

Fake eggs and golf balls eh? Is that to teach them that eggs go in the nesting boxes? Hopefully that'll prevent them from sleeping in the nesting boxes as well.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Fake eggs and golf balls eh? Is that to teach them that eggs go in the nesting boxes? Hopefully that'll prevent them from sleeping in the nesting boxes as well.

Yup, fakes (golf balls or otherwise) help show them that a nest is safe to use, because it looks like others are using it.

If they're sleeping in the nest boxes, that's something you want to discourage as they'll soil the box. Are they all roosting properly at night?

 

[Tendonuts]

Yup, fakes (golf balls or otherwise) help show them that a nest is safe to use, because it looks like others are using it.

If they're sleeping in the nest boxes, that's something you want to discourage as they'll soil the box. Are they all roosting properly at night?

That's another issue, they refuse to roost. They'll sleep anywhere but the roost.

 

[rosemarythyme]

That's another issue, they refuse to roost. They'll sleep anywhere but the roost.

Photos of the coop overall, and roost area? Could be too dark, too stuffy, poor ventilation, roosts too low, too narrow, etc. Or if you got these birds at point of lay, they may have never learned to roost before.

 

[aart]

and another lying in the corner of the run, all torn up.

Meaning it was soft shell?