Eggs laying??

[MedinaChick2001]

I have 10 hens that are just over 20 weeks 5 red star and 4 black star. On 9-9 I had one small egg and then on 9-11 there was one more. I find them on the floor of the coup and not in the nesting boxes, anyone know if they will start laying in their boxes, and are they going to all start soon? Any way to get them to all start???

 

[midget_farms]

No way to get them to go. You just have to be patient. It is this way when they first start to lay. They will use the nests soon, as the ground eggs come because they are kind of surprised by laying at first.

make sure they get extra light. If they get less than 14 to 15 hrs of light each day they could stop laying until spring.

I have a set of flood lights on a timer that gives them a couple hours in the morning & a couple hours in the evening to make sure they continue to lay.

 

[SmittenChicken]

Do you have golf balls or fake eggs in the nest boxes? That's supposed to help them learn where to lay. I've had a couple floor eggs as mine start laying but they catch on and start using the boxes after the first 1 or 2.
Also, you might try giving some extra protein - I've heard that can help increase egg production. Not sure if it's true or not, but the bribe can't hurt!

 

[MedinaChick2001]

Thank You! What would be a good source for the extra protein? They are on laying food and get scratch daily. I also give them grit about once a week. Plus I give them fresh fruit.