First egg not in nesting box.

[PopoMyers]

Yay, found the first egg today! Probably from one of my 4 ISA browns. 20 weeks ish old. It was laid in the sand under the coop. Then an ISA did a squatty behavior on the lawn, then went up the coop ramp but came back out. I am afraid to let them into my garden because they may lay under the bushes. Did anyone have this issue, and how to get them to go into the nesting boxes? Since our average temps are in the 40's, could I move the eggs to the nesting box and leave them there for a time for training?

 

[KarynVA]

Congrats on the first egg!

Do you have fake eggs in the nesting boxes? Like golf balls or even roundish rocks or whatever? I would avoid putting actual eggs in the box for training purposes just because of the remote chance they may mess with them and break them and then discover that the eggs are delicious. You definitely don't want that to happen.

 

[3KillerBs]

That's fairly normal for new layers. The first eggs seem to take them by surprise and the things their bodies are doing confuse them for a while.

Fake eggs of some kind in the box help.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Even for a pullet's first egg that looks small. Expect the color to get lighter a the eggs get bigger and after she's laid a while too. That looks so small it may not even have a yolk. But congratulations on your first egg. That is exciting.

The egg making process is pretty complicated and includes more than just putting the egg together correctly. It also includes when to lay and where to lay. Many pullets get all that correct from the start but some don't. It can take them a while to get all the kinks out of that egg making process. That's why you can get all those funny pullet eggs. A pullet might drop her first few eggs from the roost at night instead of laying them during the day. Most seem to know the egg is coming and look for a nest but it seems to take some by surprise and they drop it wherever they are, walking around the coop or run. I'm kind of surprised that so many actually get all this right so often right from the start.

If the egg shows up in random places she does not have control yet. That should come pretty soon, probably within a week, two at the most. If the egg shows up in the same spot every time she has decided that spot is her nest. If that is what is happening get back to us and we can discuss that. In the meantime put a fake egg in the nests to show her where to lay and be a bit patient. When she gains control she may decide that makes a good nest. It often works. I use gold balls. Some people use ceramic or wooden eggs you can get at a crafts store. Some use those colored plastic Easter eggs.

I think it is too early to get too worried. Just be patient and see how it goes.

 

[PopoMyers]

Congrats on the first egg!

Do you have fake eggs in the nesting boxes? Like golf balls or even roundish rocks or whatever? I would avoid putting actual eggs in the box for training purposes just because of the remote chance they may mess with them and break them and then discover that the eggs are delicious. You definitely don't want that to happen.

Well, I went to check on them this afternoon and found 2 more eggs in their yard. They are now confined to their run/coop for a few days. Getting some wooden eggs. Would those work?

 

[3KillerBs]

Well, I went to check on them this afternoon and found 2 more eggs in their yard. They are now confined to their run/coop for a few days. Getting some wooden eggs. Would those work?

Anything reasonably egg-like will do. Like many of us, I use golf balls.

 

[ackie]

I put 1 of their eggs in the nesting box and swap it out with whatever new egg they lay so it doesnt get too old. It actually didnt take my girls very long but they weren't free ranging at this time. You could totally just check under the bushes every couple days though if it's not too much work. Mine have too many places to hide eggs so I end up with unexpected chicks all the time.

 

[PopoMyers]

Even for a pullet's first egg that looks small. Expect the color to get lighter a the eggs get bigger and after she's laid a while too. That looks so small it may not even have a yolk. But congratulations on your first egg. That is exciting.

The egg making process is pretty complicated and includes more than just putting the egg together correctly. It also includes when to lay and where to lay. Many pullets get all that correct from the start but some don't. It can take them a while to get all the kinks out of that egg making process. That's why you can get all those funny pullet eggs. A pullet might drop her first few eggs from the roost at night instead of laying them during the day. Most seem to know the egg is coming and look for a nest but it seems to take some by surprise and they drop it wherever they are, walking around the coop or run. I'm kind of surprised that so many actually get all this right so often right from the start.

If the egg shows up in random places she does not have control yet. That should come pretty soon, probably within a week, two at the most. If the egg shows up in the same spot every time she has decided that spot is her nest. If that is what is happening get back to us and we can discuss that. In the meantime put a fake egg in the nests to show her where to lay and be a bit patient. When she gains control she may decide that makes a good nest. It often works. I use gold balls. Some people use ceramic or wooden eggs you can get at a crafts store. Some use those colored plastic Easter eggs.

I think it is too early to get too worried. Just be patient and see how it goes.

I found two more eggs out in their yard, and it's raining today, but a cool 45 degrees. I've confined them in their coop/run for now. It's like Easter at Christmas! Thank you for the encouragement!

 

[britinpa]

The first egg that we got was layed right in the middle of their outside run. After this I went and bought the ceramic eggs from Tractor Supply - luckily for us, they've laid in their nesting boxes ever since (apart from a newbie (I think) laying 2 soft shells on the coop floor)

 

[PopoMyers]

I put 1 of their eggs in the nesting box and swap it out with whatever new egg they lay so it doesnt get too old. It actually didnt take my girls very long but they weren't free ranging at this time. You could totally just check under the bushes every couple days though if it's not too much work. Mine have too many places to hide eggs so I end up with unexpected chicks all the time.

No roos here, so no chicks.