Eggs on the ground

[along121]

My chickens are 22 weeks. One has been laying an egg a day since 18 weeks. I noticed two others seem to be ready. They go to the nest boxes and sit. Today I found 1 egg in the nest box and others just laying on the ck. run floor. " What's with that????" Is my regular egg layer keeping them from going in the box? I don't want this to be a regular thing. I have fake eggs in every nest box. So they should see that and learn where to go ..... Right. I don't want them to break them and start eating their own eggs. I read that if this happens its hard to ever stop it.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

The box may have been busy when she wanted to lay - I have this happen occasionally, but they'll get their "schedules" figured out and this will happen less. It IS hard to stop, but it is stoppable. The thing that broke that habit in one day was darkening the nesting boxes. I tried lots of things - no shavings, more shavings, mustard, more protien/calcium, but this worked for me.

 

[along121]

I have three open air boxes and two that are part of my little store bought chicken coop. The kind where you lift the back lid and reach in and get the eggs. They won't even go in the open air boxes. They take out all of the hay and just make a mess. The two in the coop are pretty dark already. Maybe it is only taking turns. I know they are still pretty young, but i never thought this would happen. Thanks for your help.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I have three open air boxes and two that are part of my little store bought chicken coop. The kind where you lift the back lid and reach in and get the eggs. They won't even go in the open air boxes. They take out all of the hay and just make a mess. The two in the coop are pretty dark already. Maybe it is only taking turns. I know they are still pretty young, but i never thought this would happen. Thanks for your help.

No problem! I'm curios - what do the open air nestboxes look like?

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

We had a egg eating Orpington and EE. Couple fake eggs took care of it quickly, they peck, it doesn't break, and after a while hurts. So they stop.

If it was her first egg she could've just been overwhelmed with 'OMG IM LAYING AN EGG!!!' And just did it right there. She'll learn when she lays eggs and how to tell when and where to go, so I wouldn't worry