golden comet laying outside of nest

[creekgirl]

I recently got 6 golden comets. They are around 22 weeks old. One us laying but she lays on the floor in the corner...same spot every day. I have 2 nesting boxes with hay in them. How can I get her to lay in the nesting box or will she eventually do it on her own??

 

[nab58]

I was going to start a thread asking the same question.

My RSLs started laying last week. Theyre cooped during the day. I've found an egg for 3 days in the wood shavings inthe run. Everyone else is laying in the box.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Some birds just seem to find their own "spot" to lay. If you have some golf balls or plastic easter eggs you can try putting those in the nest you would prefer them to lay in.

As far as the one laying outside the nest while everyone else is laying in it: the nest may be full when she is ready to lay, she may be on the bottom of the pecking order and not allowed in, or she just may prefer the floor. If they are young they usually adapt (eventually) to the nest.

I have one crazy bird who is a year and a half old and sometimes she just decides to lay in the middle of the run! Most days she hits the nest however.

 

[Studio2770]

Two of our girls just started laying and every egg so far has been in the boxes. 6 eggs total. I put store bought eggs, blew out the insides, filled them up with dirt, and into the boxes. I took out a decoy in the box that has been laid in the most.

 

[nab58]

I have a golf ball in each of the nest boxes. Three hens are laying one of the boxes and one box goes unused. One knucklehead is laying in the run!

 

[Studio2770]

I think keeping them, or that one, in the coop for a bit to get her to go in the box. Is she laying in a particular spot? If she is, perhaps make it not so laying friendly so she'll resort to the boxes.

 

[lazy gardener]

I had one girl who refused to lay in the box. I put smelly garlic scapes in the nest she had made under the perch. She then laid right beside the old nest... under the perch. I then put a piece of plywood over the shavings under the entire perch, and scattered scrap wood under the other perch. She then, given no choice, started laying in the boxes. after a week, I removed the wood. she's been good ever since then.

 

[SpicySalsa]

Two of my gals started laying just over a week ago. They would lay in the run even though I put golf balls in the nest boxes. After the 3rd day of laying in the run, I talked with another chicken owner and he told me to remove the golf balls and lock them in the coop for a day. So I took his advice and locked them in all morning and afternoon. Let me tell you...they WERE NOT HAPPY! My daughter called me at work to tell me they were very upset and making a fuss. When I got home, I checked the nest boxes and found 2 eggs. Let them out into the run and they have been laying in the nest boxes ever since.

 

[Gramma5]

Yeah, my golden comet lays right outside the nest box too. The leghorn stands on the roost and lets it drop onto the poop board. I have fake eggs in there and I think they just play football with them. I tried marking their own eggs and putting them in the nest box but they just played with those too.

I'll wait until most of them are laying and then try the locking them in thing.

 

[Studio2770]

Two of my gals started laying just over a week ago. They would lay in the run even though I put golf balls in the nest boxes. After the 3rd day of laying in the run, I talked with another chicken owner and he told me to remove the golf balls and lock them in the coop for a day. So I took his advice and locked them in all morning and afternoon. Let me tell you...they WERE NOT HAPPY! My daughter called me at work to tell me they were very upset and making a fuss. When I got home, I checked the nest boxes and found 2 eggs. Let them out into the run and they have been laying in the nest boxes ever since.

This is kinda what I tried out. Mine really don't like staying in when it's roaming time.