First egg not in nesting box.

[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 an egg today in another part of their yard. I think it's just one girl laying. I have put golf balls in the nesting box. How long do you think until she'll 'get it's and lay there. Also, will the other girls follow suit? I also have Welsummers who don't look ready yet. The eggs all had beautiful yolks in them.

 

[NinaJoy]

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?

Wooden eggs worked for me!

 

[Tonyroo]

You need them to see the nest box and what's inside. Get some treat like canned corn or mealworms to lure them near the nest box and watch to see that there checking it out. My rooster showed my hens the nest box when they were a week away from laying. I was standing there watching the whole thing.
On a another note, how come people never recommend those plastic Easter eggs that kids get on Easter to use as a training tool for the nest?

 

[Artichoke Lover]

This was a problem with mine for a few weeks until their cycles started sorting themselves out. They dropped several from the roost and I had 2 that wouldn’t even stop walking while they dropped an egg. They sorted it out eventually though. If you’re still have issues after 2 weeks or more I would confine them to the area where the nesting boxes are for a couple days to weeks and only let them out when you can watch them or for a short time in the evening. Fake eggs are also a big help.

 

[PopoMyers]

Wooden eggs worked for me!

I found some golf balls laying around, so used those. How long did it take your girls to lay in the nests?

 

[Ridgerunner]

How long do you think until she'll 'get it's and lay there.

As I said above:

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.

I'll try to phrase it a little differently. Once she gains control she will decide one specific spot is her nest. That may be your nests or that may be somewhere else. That could happen today, that might not happen for a couple of weeks after her starting to lay. Each one is different.

Also, will the other girls follow suit?

Good question, that's why we use fake eggs. Many pullets and hens (most but not all) seem to like to lay where another hen is laying. If they see an egg in a nest they seem to think that another hen thinks is a good place to lay. So we use fake eggs to make them think another hen is laying there. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I have noticed that when I have adult hens laying in nests the pullets seem to learn from them and lay there. I still occasionally have a pullet decide some other place is a good place for a nest but most choose where the hens are laying. I also occasionally have a mature hen decide to stop laying in my nests and hide one somewhere else. I don't know why other than each is an individual and you never know for sure what one will do.

The eggs all had beautiful yolks in them.

Excellent, the pullet has learned how to put one together properly. Don't be too surprised it you get a surprise but it sounds like you are off to a good start. Any pullet or hen is entitled to an occasional oops but once they start putting an egg together properly they usually keep doing that. So now they should should gradually get bigger.

 

[PopoMyers]

How long do you think until she'll 'get it's and lay there.

As I said above:

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.

I'll try to phrase it a little differently. Once she gains control she will decide one specific spot is her nest. That may be your nests or that may be somewhere else. That could happen today, that might not happen for a couple of weeks after her starting to lay. Each one is different.

Also, will the other girls follow suit?

Good question, that's why we use fake eggs. Many pullets and hens (most but not all) seem to like to lay where another hen is laying. If they see an egg in a nest they seem to think that another hen thinks is a good place to lay. So we use fake eggs to make them think another hen is laying there. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I have noticed that when I have adult hens laying in nests the pullets seem to learn from them and lay there. I still occasionally have a pullet decide some other place is a good place for a nest but most choose where the hens are laying. I also occasionally have a mature hen decide to stop laying in my nests and hide one somewhere else. I don't know why other than each is an individual and you never know for sure what one will do.

The eggs all had beautiful yolks in them.

Excellent, the pullet has learned how to put one together properly. Don't be too surprised it you get a surprise but it sounds like you are off to a good start. Any pullet or hen is entitled to an occasional oops but once they start putting an egg together properly they usually keep doing that. So now they should should gradually get bigger.

Thank you for your reassurances and wisdom. Found some golf balls to put in the boxes. I hope to have good news in a week or so. Seems only one girl (Dahlia) is laying at this time. The other eggs had been there, because of the rain I hadn't been expecting any yet, and guess she had laid the two before, then one day before yesterday, then one yesterday, so she has laid 4 so far. I have 4 ISA and 4 Welsummers, who don't even look close to laying yet. Just an eggsited chicken mom.

 

[PopoMyers]

Update, Dahlia has laid one a day, and now lays them in the coop, but next to the wall. Another girl ,(a Wellie), laid her first one in the nesting box. Yay! More to come soon, they are 22+ weeks.

 

[Inkisevidence]

I found an egg today in another part of their yard. I think it's just one girl laying. I have put golf balls in the nesting box. How long do you think until she'll 'get it's and lay there. Also, will the other girls follow suit? I also have Welsummers who don't look ready yet. The eggs all had beautiful yolks in them.

Your Isa browns are the same age as mine, and my olive egger too. I think mine are 20 weeks today in fact. Last week I found a random egg out in the run. Then four days ago I found another egg in the other run. My friend gave me golf balls and swore it would make the difference. The next day, all the eggs were in the boxes and none have been laid in the run since. I also have older chickens who use the nesting boxes, so they may be showing the young ones the way. It was an immediate switch to the boxes once the golf balls were in there. I also started leaving a light on after sunset for a couple more hours. Now instead of getting a total of 3 eggs from 8 chickens I’m getting 5! I can definitely tell which eggs are from my babies though—they are tiny like yours. We tried one tonight though and it tasted absolutely delicious! The yolk was regular sized and the white was a small.

 

[PopoMyers]

Your Isa browns are the same age as mine, and my olive egger too. I think mine are 20 weeks today in fact. Last week I found a random egg out in the run. Then four days ago I found another egg in the other run. My friend gave me golf balls and swore it would make the difference. The next day, all the eggs were in the boxes and none have been laid in the run since. I also have older chickens who use the nesting boxes, so they may be showing the young ones the way. It was an immediate switch to the boxes once the golf balls were in there. I also started leaving a light on after sunset for a couple more hours. Now instead of getting a total of 3 eggs from 8 chickens I’m getting 5! I can definitely tell which eggs are from my babies though—they are tiny like yours. We tried one tonight though and it tasted absolutely delicious! The yolk was regular sized and the white was a small.

Now we are almost at 23 wks, and the first girl is finally consistently laying in the nesting boxes. #2 is laying under the the roosts, like #1 was for awhile.