Getting lots of cracked eggs

[SweetLilRachy00]

They are split open and the inner membrane is still intact...They are slightly cracked.

I was watching one of my hens from inside the house one day and she was squatting on a perch in the coop. I think they are laying them from the perches! Although I would think if they did, they'd crack...unless they are falling ontop of another hen down there, rolling off her and then hitting the bottom of the coop. Which is lightly lined with straw...

Any suggestions.

They won't lay eggs in their baskets! GO FIGURE!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Have you placed fake eggs or golf balls in their nest boxes?....different litter in the nest, straw or wood shavings......locking the girls up for a few days so its either the nest or floor...maybe if you put a nest on the floor with fake eggs or golf balls for a few days then move it back to where you have them originally?...only other thing is more straw on the coop floor....my suggestions....

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, try to encourage nest box laying with some fake eggs or golf balls as tuffoldhen suggested. They'll pick up on it eventually.

 

[SweetLilRachy00]

ok will put some of DHs goftballs out there...shhhhh... lol

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I used hubbys golf balls every year when I have new pullets coming to point of lay...he never misses them

thinks he has just lost them at the golf course!...

 

[bigzio]

Hens can be really fussy about their nests. They need to be large enough, private enough, and of course the bedding that says lay here. Mine are real particular and always fight over one nest that is the same as the others. Hope the golf balls help your situation.

bigzio

 

[MissPrissy]

I keep my nests boxes lined with some hay or straw and then put a fluffy bed of pine shavings in. I do have an occassion or two when someone lays in the floor but generally once they learn what the boxes are for you won't have to worry about damaged eggs. The golf balls will be a big help for you.

 

[Buster]

Funny that I should read this now. I just brought in an egg that was laid from the roost. They have let 3 such eggs drop from there since I've had them, but as long as I keep 3 or 4 inches of pine shavings under the roost, they don't crack (so far). Out of 112 eggs, only 3 have been dropped from the roost. All the others have been in boxes.

 

[Churkenduse]

I made two beautiful nests and put straw then shavings and a few fake eggs and they went to the other side of the coop to lay. Now I know it might have been because I took the fake ones away when they started laying, I didn't know I had to keep it in there.

Thanks for the heads up,

.