Finally.... EGGS!

[Ponypoor]

Well I changed up the roost bar to match the one they use out in the run. I think this utilizes the interior space better. Placed them in there at night this weekend and they are all roosting on the new bar. I also placed a white egg in each of the boxes and yesterday morning my sex link had laid in the middle box! Maybe it's working and she is getting the hang of it.
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Love the fan in the window

 

[GalvestonWader]

One of my other hens laid her first egg on Friday right at 23 weeks. Bam, first one right in the nesting box. Must have learned from the sex link that was already laying. My only remaining bird that has not laid yet started showing signs yesterday that she is close. I bet within a few days she'll be there. No more buying eggs for me!

 

[Ponypoor]

Anyone else ever have a Silkie lay a double yolker? My wee gal who just started laying a few weeks ago laid a 'normal' sized egg yesterday, I just had to see if it was a double yolk egg - sure enough! two wee yolks - they were awesome on my homemade bread toasted hahaha!

 

[Swbertrand1]

She is just laying in random places right now, not in the nest boxes which I've read is somewhat normal for new layers? The birds actually don't go into their coop very often at all, really only to eat because their food is in there. They roost outside in the enclosed run on a bar out there. I'm not sure why? My coop has plenty of ventilation and I've raised the roost bars and made some other modifications. Even went at night and placed them in the coop, but they just dont want to hang out in there. Any suggestions? I suppose it doesn't hurt anything for them to sleep out in the run. They are safe there.

As for laying in random places, try some synthetic/fake eggs, or even golf balls, left in the nest boxes. They'll realize soon enough that location makes more sense than out in the run since they usually want to protect their eggs.

On the issue of them not going in the coop, they might need a little training, i.e. walking them up the ramp about 30 minutes before dusk a few nights in a row. We hold young pullets and cockerels just above the ground/ramp, and SLOWLY "walk" them up the ramp and into the coop to show them where to go at night. Close the door behind them too. After a few nights' training they usually get it. I'd also remove the roost bar(s) from the run area; this only serves to train them to roost there.

While they're young and there's only 3 birds, the food/water inside the coop is not an issue, but it will get cramped in there if you add another couple of birds and the ones you have get a little larger

If they were mine, I'd begin training the birds to go into the coop at night (close the door behind them while they can still see to find roost bars) removing the food/water to outside the coop, putting it under the main portion of the coop to protect from rain, then remove the exterior roost bar(s), and, as mentioned above, put the fake eggs in the nest boxes and see if you don't get the results you're looking for.