First egg! Not laying in nest...

[simmworksfamily]

So when I came home today from dropping off everyone at school I went in to check and see if Red our RIR layed yet this morning. She had so I grabbed the egg and headed into the back of the house. That's where low and behold a gorgeous egg was sitting right by the sliding glass door. Flower our Easter Egger laid her first egg... but not in the nest.

Could it be possible that because Red was in laying her egg, Flower didn't go in or do we just need to get some golf balls and put them in her nest (we have two in the coop) to get her to go in there?

And second question - is the cracked egg edible?

 

[jrjoplin]

It's not unusual for new layers to find random places. If your other hen lays in the nest box she'll probably find it eventually. I've also had hens where everyday was an Easter egg hunt regardless of what we did to accommodate them.

For the cracked egg my philosophy has always been if I don't know where the crack came from or how long it's been there I don't eat it.

 

[simmworksfamily]

It's not unusual for new layers to find random places. If your other hen lays in the nest box she'll probably find it eventually. I've also had hens where everyday was an Easter egg hunt regardless of what we did to accommodate them.

For the cracked egg my philosophy has always been if I don't know where the crack came from or how long it's been there I don't eat it.

Thank you! More than likely the crack was because she laid her egg on our brick patio right by the door. There were no other marks and the crack was on the bottom. So I'll check it out first just in case.

 

[bigt447]

Move any non-cracked eggs found in random places to one of your nest boxes. They will be OK to eat after a couple of days there....plus, get some fake eggs PDQ.

 

[simmworksfamily]

Move any non-cracked eggs found in random places to one of your nest boxes. They will be OK to eat after a couple of days there....plus, get some fake eggs PDQ.

Will do! Now that I know the time she likely laid I can keep an eye on her tomorrow.

 

[simmworksfamily]

So yesterday was a fluke... she made her OWN nest under the bush and laid there twice before. Look what I found today. Wondering where she'll lay again...

 

[Mutt Farm]

Hmmm...2 in the bushes THEN one on the porch? Pretty eggs. That's so odd! The cracked one IMO looks more pecked or poked than laid on concrete cracked. Is there a chance something moved it? (crow?) I'm anxious to hear where she lays tomorrow! If you typically free-range and If the bush is a safe place, then there you have it! If you prefer she lay in a nest box, you could put fake eggs or her eggs marked with an X in a nest box and lock them up till you see blue eggs in the box. You could, as your schedule allows, only let them out for a few hours in the afternoon. We have to be so careful about heat here in So Cal, so I don't want to suggest you coop them up unless you feel good that they will be cool and comfortable. The mystery continues...I'll wait to hear what tomorrow brings!

 

[simmworksfamily]

Most things don't wander into the yard since the coonhound patrols out there BUT this fella was snoozing peacefully on our water fountain on the pond for quite a bit resting before it realized we were watching it and flew away.


I added a golf ball to her box and will add one of her marked eggs in too but Red, our other chicken lays in the box next to it. Could it be that due to the heat Flower just wants her own space? If she continues to lay here, that is fine with me as they do a great job clearing the brush under there so my husband doesn't have to do it

 

[simmworksfamily]

And yes, we just put bird net over the pond to save the shebunkins and red slider we have in there. So far none are missing. He really did look like he was cooling off his feet and snoozing vs. hunting.

 

[Mutt Farm]

And yes, we just put bird net over the pond to save the shebunkins and red slider we have in there. So far none are missing. He really did look like he was cooling off his feet and snoozing vs. hunting.

Coopers hawk? I have a Koi pond with Shebunkins too! Hawks haven't bothered it yet...but I'm waiting. i don't think your hen is bothered by Red or needs space. Chickens do funny things. I have 6 nest boxes, 7 laying hens. They use 3/6, 2/6 or all the same box, but it's not always yesterdays favorite box.