Help - How can I get my chickens to stop laying eggs on the floor and ground?

[justaud]

Hello, everyone,

I am a new chicken owner with 6 young golden comet hens. 5 out of the 6 girls have started laying eggs, but I have an annoying problem: two of my girls lay eggs in the clean nest boxes (yay!), two lay eggs on the floor of the coop (gross), and one does it on the ground in the run (really gross). They have done it this way for a few weeks now, ever since they started laying eggs. Is there a way to change this behavior? It seems pretty unsanitary to eat eggs that were sitting in soiled bedding, even if you wash them.

Thanks!!

Audrey

 

[lightchick]

It helps to put golf balls in the nest boxes,

 

[enola]

Any hens that insist on laying their eggs anywhere but in the nest get invited to dinner........ and they don't need a fork either.......

 

[justaud]

LOL! Well, that's one idea, but I think I might try the golf balls first It's probably my fault, for making the nesting boxes up high, but maybe if I plop each of them in the nesting box, they will figure it out. The one that lays outside.. I don't know what she is thinking! One thing's for sure, my girls aren't broody!

 

[aart]

Lock them up in the coop for a few days, at least until mid afternoon.....
...and try the golf ball or fake egg thing.

Tho I just had a pullet who didn't lay in the nest until I took the golf balls out.

Make sure they can easily reach the nests.
Pullets take a bit to figure out the nest thing.