First Egg Today! But Laid on the Poop Tray?

[Patinas]

One of my hens laid her first egg today! But, she went into the coop and got up on the roost bar and laid it on the poop tray below.

My question is, will she learn to use the nest boxes? They've been ready to go with shavings and fake eggs in them for a couple weeks. I'm worried that if she did it once, she might continue laying from the roost bar. Any insight into whether or not she might make a habit of this?

The egg was small and she's a huge hen but still super excited!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm sure she had no clue as to what was happening. It can take some a while to get used to the feelings and sensations, and to figure out what they need to do.

 

[Patinas]

I'm sure she had no clue as to what was happening. It can take some a while to get used to the feelings and sensations, and to figure out what they need to do.

Yes, she was acting strange all day today. I checked on her a couple times before she finally laid the egg late afternoon. I'm sure it stressed her out! Once she got it out, she got down off the roost and ran out to the yard and started eating grass like nothing had happened.

 

[aart]

Not unusual...put some fake eggs in the nests.
Has she explored the nests at all prior to this?
Usually they tear them up for a good week before hand.
Do you have older layers?
Might have to show her the nest,
IE: put her in one and make sure she can get into them easily.

 

[Patinas]

Not unusual...put some fake eggs in the nests.
Has she explored the nests at all prior to this?
Usually they tear them up for a good week before hand.
Do you have older layers?
Might have to show her the nest,
IE: put her in one and make sure she can get into them easily.

Yes, I have fake eggs in the nests. I can tell one or some of them have been investigating the boxes because the shavings were messed up and fake eggs moved. No, I do not have older layers. New to chickens this spring so my flock ranges from 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 months old.

I have not put any of them in the nest boxes. I have 20 hens so it's not like I hold them regularly so they do not like being picked up.

 

[aart]

If nests have been messed up, no reason to put the bird in there, they know where they are. It can take up to a months or so for things to smooth out with new layers,
meanwhile, eggs everywhere, some of them can be rather funky looking, soft or thin shelled, huge double yolked eggs.

 

[Patinas]

If nests have been messed up, no reason to put the bird in there, they know where they are. It can take up to a months or so for things to smooth out with new layers,
meanwhile, eggs everywhere, some of them can be rather funky looking, soft or thin shelled, huge double yolked eggs.

Well then I'll expect a lot of chaos while they all start laying. Hopefully I'll get really good at finding eggs where they shouldn't be!

 

[aart]

Well then I'll expect a lot of chaos while they all start laying. Hopefully I'll get really good at finding eggs where they shouldn't be!

If you free range a lot, now might be a good time for them to to spend more days of the week confined to the coop and run...easier to find those errant eggs and not allow them to start a habit of laying out in range area.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

They will get the idea, at first I'd find eggs on the poopboard, floor and in the run. The eggs may be double yolks, have soft shells or small until nature straightens things out.

 

[Patinas]

Ok, new issue today with the same hen. So the first egg she laid on the poop tray two days ago was very small but normal looking and had a hard shell. I cracked it open and it was a perfect egg, just small.

Yesterday, she didn't lay anything and was fine.

Now, today, she laid two, maybe three? One was just a yolk, one was another small egg but with a very thin shell and then another weird thing that I don't know what it is.

Again, she laid them on the poop tray from the roost. She's also keeps going back into the coop, getting up on the roost, plops to the poop tray and squats. She's come out a few times to forage (free range) but keeps going back to the coop which is completely not normal for her.

It seems really weird to me that she would have laid two within a couple hours of each other. Should I just relax and let her sort it out??

Her bum is fine and vent is clear so maybe this is just oddities of beginning to lay??

Here are pics of what was on the poop tray this morning and a pic I just took of Martha, the new egg layer.