Got the nest boxes up too late.

[smoore7489]

So I thought I had another week or so to get these nest boxes up and going but 2 or 3 of my hens have started to lay early. Now im having to go on a egg hunt around my yard. (I know about where they lay. Usually in my garden )
What have yall done to break this habit? They are semi free range. They have a fenced in area of 2.5 acres. I put the eggs that I have gathered so far into their nest boxes but they are uninterested so far. Should I keep them all in the coop for most the day?
This morning i kept them in until around 1030 and the one hen bolted for the garden and laid an egg almost immediately. It was like she was holding it in lol.
Any advice is appreciated! Thank you

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Yeah, keep them in the coop. Maybe put a fan up if you can.
You could put a ceramic egg in the nest. Golf balls or egg-shaped rocks work too.

 

[smoore7489]

Okay will do! All day or just till mid afternoon or something?

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

It depends. When did your hen speed into the garden?

 

[lazy gardener]

So I thought I had another week or so to get these nest boxes up and going but 2 or 3 of my hens have started to lay early. Now im having to go on a egg hunt around my yard. (I know about where they lay. Usually in my garden )
What have yall done to break this habit? They are semi free range. They have a fenced in area of 2.5 acres. I put the eggs that I have gathered so far into their nest boxes but they are uninterested so far. Should I keep them all in the coop for most the day?
This morning i kept them in until around 1030 and the one hen bolted for the garden and laid an egg almost immediately. It was like she was holding it in lol.
Any advice is appreciated! Thank you

This is only one of the reasons why I strongly advocate for having a run, even if you do let your flock free range most of the time. It makes it much easier AND safer to train pullets to the nest. With a run, they are somewhat confined, while still getting out of the coop for fresh air. Yes, some pullets need to be confined for a while till they come to their senses about egg laying etiquette. An other benefit of having a run is that it can be a flock saver when predators come calling. In your case, you will most likely need to confine them for a couple of weeks.

 

[kurka0]

Hello Smoore!
How are your chicken's nests? Do you have a rooster or only hens?

I ask about the rooster because my hens lays eggs where the rooster shows them. For a period of time he decided that the cat's kennel was a good place and for months my hen only laid eggs there. I tried all kind of nests and different places but they only wanted that kennel.

Later I adopted a second hen. First lady hated new lady so I put an improvised nest (a cardboard box with wood shaving in it) pretty far away from the cat's kennel, in a dark corner of the coop so the first lady couldn't find the new one so easily, weeks later the new nest was discovered and now that's the only nest everybody wants.

I have learned that chickens prefer private, close and dark places. The nest should be hidden from the public eye. So when I travel with my birds, I look for a place with those features to put the cardboard box in(it is that cardboard box or nothing, stubborn chickens) and problem solved!

I hope this can help! ^^

 

[smoore7489]

This is only one of the reasons why I strongly advocate for having a run, even if you do let your flock free range most of the time. It makes it much easier AND safer to train pullets to the nest. With a run, they are somewhat confined, while still getting out of the coop for fresh air. Yes, some pullets need to be confined for a while till they come to their senses about egg laying etiquette. An other benefit of having a run is that it can be a flock saver when predators come calling. In your case, you will most likely need to confine them for a couple of weeks.

Yeah we would've done a run if we started from scratch but the people who lived here before us used an old building as a coop and it already had everything in there so it seemed silly to start all over. In a few years we will probably knock it down and build a run where it was. But only time will tell. Thanks for the advice tho! Looks like ill be keeping them in there for a while. They r not going to he happy.

 

[smoore7489]

Hello Smoore!
How are your chicken's nests? Do you have a rooster or only hens?

I ask about the rooster because my hens lays eggs where the rooster shows them. For a period of time he decided that the cat's kennel was a good place and for months my hen only laid eggs there. I tried all kind of nests and different places but they only wanted that kennel.

Later I adopted a second hen. First lady hated new lady so I put an improvised nest (a cardboard box with wood shaving in it) pretty far away from the cat's kennel, in a dark corner of the coop so the first lady couldn't find the new one so easily, weeks later the new nest was discovered and now that's the only nest everybody wants.

I have learned that chickens prefer private, close and dark places. The nest should be hidden from the public eye. So when I travel with my birds, I look for a place with those features to put the cardboard box in(it is that cardboard box or nothing, stubborn chickens) and problem solved!

I hope this can help! ^^

Hi! Yep. We have 2 roosters! I guess im gonna confine them in for most the day tomorrow. Their nest boxes are in a pretty private place. One of my hens are laying her eggs right on the back porch! By the door! Haha so idk if she just doesnt care for privacy or shes trying to say "HEY. Help a hen out over here!" Lol im gonna see if a couple days being cooped in around their laying times will help. I hope it does.. walking the land every day is tiring .

 

[smoore7489]

It depends. When did your hen speed into the garden?

Right when the door opened at 1030. Last egg i found today (heard her egg laying call) was at 1 so i might keep them in until around 2 for a few days. Or do u suggest latwr than that? Do hens have a time limit to "hold it in"? Haha

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

That should be fine. If you can check it without them escaping, I would do that, too.