I'd been wondering why my girls seemed a little slow getting started, but with this time of year, and the fact that many people aren't getting eggs, or not many, I didn't think much of it. I have 23 pullets, and I was getting about 4-6 eggs per day.
Well, today we were cleaning out a brush pile, and found a nest of 5 eggs. I saw one of my wayward girls (she escaped yesterday when I wasn't going to free-range them early in the am and disappeared) ... I saw her going under a stand of pampas grass, so I checked. Another 14 eggs! And under another stand of pampas grass, another 7 eggs! (There may be more "treasure troves" around ... it's a large yard with lots of good cover.)
LOL, I knew the girls didn't particularly like the nest boxes. They apparently didn't like having their hiding places disturbed either though, today I got 11 in the boxes and one dropped on the ground.
I am going to have to build something new. It's my fault for not doing it sooner. I just have to figure out how to put boxes into my A-frame ... they have to go against the sloped walls and be far enough back to avoid the roosts, so I can't use an actual box. I'm going to have to build it in so I can cut a slant for the wall. Guess I have a new project. At least I (hope!) I took care of the leaks now!
trish
Well, today we were cleaning out a brush pile, and found a nest of 5 eggs. I saw one of my wayward girls (she escaped yesterday when I wasn't going to free-range them early in the am and disappeared) ... I saw her going under a stand of pampas grass, so I checked. Another 14 eggs! And under another stand of pampas grass, another 7 eggs! (There may be more "treasure troves" around ... it's a large yard with lots of good cover.)
LOL, I knew the girls didn't particularly like the nest boxes. They apparently didn't like having their hiding places disturbed either though, today I got 11 in the boxes and one dropped on the ground.
I am going to have to build something new. It's my fault for not doing it sooner. I just have to figure out how to put boxes into my A-frame ... they have to go against the sloped walls and be far enough back to avoid the roosts, so I can't use an actual box. I'm going to have to build it in so I can cut a slant for the wall. Guess I have a new project. At least I (hope!) I took care of the leaks now!
trish
