Eggs not in nest box

[Relleoms]

I don't have any golf balls, and I have brown egg layers. The ceramic ones are only $6 per pair so it's not that big of a deal.

I wish I did (our coop isn't prefab- it's the back 7' of a 10x20 shed). I'm still trying to figure out a good poop board solution that fits in the space.

I don’t think it matters what color eggs they lay. None of my flock lays white eggs, but all my golf balls are white! Not that it matters now, but you can usually get free range balls from any golf course or friends/family!
What are the walls of your coop/shed? If metal, you could make a basic wood “table” to fit the space and put a piece of plywood on top. That’s essentially what I have and I cover with feed bags. It’s super easy to scrape. You can also add a small lip around the edge & fill with sweet PDZ and scoop like a litter box. If your walls are wood, you can use 2x4’s for rails and set a piece of plywood on that. Regardless, you want it to be removable for easy cleaning!

 

[aart]

I don’t think it matters what color eggs they lay. None of my flock lays white eggs, but all my golf balls are white!

Nope, doesn't matter.
My eggs are all blue and dark green...fake eggs(ceramic/hard plastic) are light brown and white, with fat blue sharpie stripe around them and golf balls looks nothing like the eggs.

 

[Barry42001]

One of the black Austrolorp hens got broody just before we went on vacation we asked our neighbor to pick the eggs and feed the chickens. At the time we still had a couple of roos other than the nicer one. We came back after a week and under the Broody hen was 24 eggs yeah they were picked up regularly

 

[Barry42001]

Luckily for me no bushes in the run I can't let them free range due to neighborhood cats unless I'm out there. I couldn't find the one on the floor before stepping on it because I think the bedding was too thick (TSC ran out of my usual stuff, which is organic EZ straw (unsprayed, so can use for garden mulch and composting, but technically used for seeding lawns so I now have to order via Amazon til they get it back in spring), so I used a full 2 string hay bale and it had WAY more in it than I thought!). The bale made the bedding about 8" thick in there, as opposed to the usual 3-4" thick, and the smashed egg got hay scratched on top of it to where I couldn't see it-probably from a chicken trying to see if they missed any scratch I tossed down.

So far none broken in the nest boxes- they've all got super hard shells (I mix OS into their flock raiser feed and have never had a soft shell so far) and there's about 3" thick (and by thick I also mean lots of it compressed) straw in there so it doesn't hit the bottom. And if it does, it's a rubbermaid 25 gallon tote so the floor is just that plastic, not hard wood.

I have to laugh about the ballerina comment though, because I've seen them go in and out of the nest boxes and they step very dainty and lady-like, then they go out into the run and waddle across it like pregnant linebackers

I clean egg shells crush them up feed back to chickens. As a experiment get a egg and purposely drop it to break she'll and stand back or be trampled key it to it crushing up the shells to not look like egg don't want them to make that association.

 

[CannedMonster]

Just as an FYI: my TSC sells milk crates.
Very inexpensive.
I use the milk crates upside down as platforms for feeders/waterers.
We use white Rubbermaid dishwashing tubs for nest boxes.
I fill them with fine mini-flake pine shavings: almost like sawdust.

Also, an adult LF chicken is too big for a cat to hunt.

 

[Barry42001]

I personally prefer hay not only harder for them to kick out but the seeded ends chickens love

 

[Barry42001]

Also, an adult LF chicken is too big for a cat to hunt

I raised buff Orpington, white brahams black Austrolorp, Rhode Island Reds, Speckled Sussex , Barred Rocks, Americauna, Aracaunua, Copper Marans

 

[TCCL]

Dollar Tree and Walmart sell milk crate type things as well.

 

[tweetzone86]

Just as an FYI: my TSC sells milk crates.
Very inexpensive.
I use the milk crates upside down as platforms for feeders/waterers.
We use white Rubbermaid dishwashing tubs for nest boxes.
I fill them with fine mini-flake pine shavings: almost like sawdust.

Also, an adult LF chicken is too big for a cat to hunt.

LF chicken? This is a RIR...

And too big or not the cats keep trying

 

[Mosey2003]

LF chicken? This is a RIR...

And too big or not the cats keep trying

LF is Large Fowl, ie not a Bantam. So yes, your RIR is an LF