First egg broken, what now?

[ecocheapomom]

So we were very surprised to find our first egg this morning from our 19 week old NHR"s!!! However, it was laying in the doorway of the chicken door and it was broken. Could they have layed it while on the roosts above? No telling who layed it, but they were beginning to peck at the yolk so I scooped the whole mess up and looked around to see if there were any more. So now how do I get them to start going in the nesting boxes and what should I expect in terms of frequency? I was thinking about the golf balls.
It is a very exciting day for sure!!!

 

[eggraiser101]

OK here is what you do you put lots of hay in the boxes and take the chickens and put each of them in the nest and then they should be thinking that it would be a great place to lay.

hope it works, Megan

 

[2txmedics]

my hens lay in the nest box but since they stand to lay them...and the move the shavings away...the eggs hit and I get alot of broken eggs lately...makes me angry...but cant complain too much 8 hens and 8 eggs a day...

I tried putting that shelf foam soft paper but they take it out....even after I put shavings over it and cover it.

 

[ecocheapomom]

An old timer told me he put carpet squares in the bottom of the nest boxes and would tack them down. Then you can rip them out when they need changing and they are pretty available from flooring stores.
I will try putting them all in the boxes. I saw a few pf them getting cozy in the corners on the floor but no other eggs yet.

 

[ecocheapomom]

So we have now found a total of 5 eggs since the first on Saturday and not one of them was intact. The first was fairly normal looking, but was broken and I have found 4 completely soft and flattened shells that were all dried out and mixed in among the shavings. One of the girls is frequently making herslef a little nest in the shaving UNDER the nesting boxes and I see her turning around and making noises and her hind end seems to be pulsing quite a bit. But I have yet to find an intact egg and it is driving me crazy!
I have golf balls in the boxes and put each girl in there, but no one has gone in since.
Should I be worried they are eating the eggs or are the so soft that they are just getting trampled on? They ear lots of yogurt and I started them on layer and oyster shells. What to do ???