First eggs

[CACChicken]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone else has had an experience like this? On Sunday I found 2 eggs, 1 larger, 1 smaller. The chickens are only 4 months old, so I was a little surprised. My question is, I found those 2 on Sunday, but have yet to find any more since then. I didn't even have the nesting boxes ready, although there is already a box in their coop. I got a bail of straw and put straw in the nesting boxes, but they kicked it all out. I replace it, but they kick it back out. Were the 2 eggs a fluke? Why won't they leave the straw in the boxes? Any help or advice on this would be great! This is my first time raising chickens, so I am a little clueless.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone else has had an experience like this? On Sunday I found 2 eggs, 1 larger, 1 smaller. The chickens are only 4 months old, so I was a little surprised. My question is, I found those 2 on Sunday, but have yet to find any more since then. I didn't even have the nesting boxes ready, although there is already a box in their coop. I got a bail of straw and put straw in the nesting boxes, but they kicked it all out. I replace it, but they kick it back out. Were the 2 eggs a fluke? Why won't they leave the straw in the boxes? Any help or advice on this would be great! This is my first time raising chickens, so I am a little clueless.

Hi and welcome!

Your girls are just figuring out this whole egg laying business - and it can take a bit for them to get all the pieces of the puzzle figured out. It is quite common to get an egg (or two) and see a pause for a couple days before getting the next egg or two - the time it takes for a bird to get in a good, regular laying pattern can vary but it can take a few weeks. Also, once they do start laying, depending on breed, you may see anywhere from 3-6 (or 7) eggs a week from any given bird, so even in an established layer will have days with no eggs.

The straw thing - again, they are starting to figure out the whole nesting thing. What sort of nest box are you using? It may be that the box design makes it too easy for bedding to come out of the nest (no or too little "lip" on the box) - or it may just be some enthusiastic nesting by your birds. I have some that hardly disturb the nest materiel and a couple that are absolute bulldozers when they get in there.

Congrats on your first eggs - with a little patience and practice you will soon have eggs coming out your ears!

 

[CACChicken]

Thanks for the advice. The box has a lip on it, but maybe it is not tall enough. It is about a 5 ft box with 4 nesting boxes within it, each box is little over a foot across. I'll try putting a little bigger lip on it to see if that will help, otherwise, I guess they can lay 'em where they want to.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

You may have already done this, but placing "bait" in the nests by using fake eggs or golf balls will help to encourage laying of eggs in the desired location - the presence of other "eggs" gives the bird the impression that this is a safe place to lay eggs because it appears another hen has already done so - sort of the "stamp of approval" for the nest as a good place to lay.