finding eggs under the roost

[Minky]

About once every couple of weeks I find an egg under the roost. Does that mean someone was sitting on the roost when she laid an egg???
Also, I had two hens lay eggs in the dark yesterday!!(530 pm and 7 pm!!! but these were in the nest boxes.)
I have supplemental lighting from 6 am -9pm.

Are these weird sort of happenings normal with chickens?

 

[Welshies]

Are they new layers?

 

[Star and eclipsa]

I think that's normal for chickens who are still new to laying and not used to laying in a nest box. But I have no experience with this so I'm probably completely wrong.

 

[SterlingSilver]

About once every couple of weeks I find an egg under the roost. Does that mean someone was sitting on the roost when she laid an egg???
Also, I had two hens lay eggs in the dark yesterday!!(530 pm and 7 pm!!! but these were in the nest boxes.)
I have supplemental lighting from 6 am -9pm.

Are these weird sort of happenings normal with chickens?

I'd think nothing of them laying under the roost, how old are you chickens? I've heard that having lighting will lead to calucim depelation as they take a break from laying in the winter and forcing them to lay especially if they are young birds. If i were you, when it gets dark around 5-6 9pm is really late for them when most chickens go to bed when the sun goes down.(atleast mine do.)

 

[Freisian]

Yes I had one new layer that laid continuously on the droppings board but has now started using nest boxes, I also have two hens that lay in the nest boxes around 7 pm,which is in the dark here, and still find their way up to the roost in the dark

 

[Minky]

That's so interesting how they are all a little different.

Yes, first week of laying.
Its a really big barn, and only 2 small light bulbs between 630-9. Just enough to see dimly, I don't think they are stressed lack of sleep. They live in pretty swanky digs I think...but that is a good idea, I will take a look at maybe having it shut off completely by 845. I just need enough time to tuck them in and any earlier interferes with putting my 3 kids to bed!! LOL

 

[Teila]

While this is probably not the case for you, I thought I would mention another reason that eggs can be found not in the nest box.

My gals have fluffy butts and if they linger in the nest box after laying, the damp egg dries stuck to their butt feathers. So, when they jump out of the nest, the egg goes with them.

It then falls off in the coop, or on the ramp or in the run. I have bailed up a chicken in the garden happily scratching away at the dirt with an egg stuck to her butt

 

[Minky]

OMG . that is hysterical.