HELP...I think this might not be my first egg...

[mowin]

Do you have no other nests?
Put fake eggs in those.

Yes, I have 3 nest boxes that have been opened and with fake eggs for a week or so. They are about 12" off the floor and easily accessible with ramp and walking board across the front of them. They haven't given them a second look or bothered the fake eggs in them.

 

[aart]

Yes, I have 3 nest boxes that have been opened and with fake eggs for a week or so. They are about 12" off the floor and easily accessible with ramp and walking board across the front of them. They haven't given them a second look or bothered the fake eggs in them.

Might try putting the birds in the nests or on the walking board,
they won't stay but it will pique their curiosity.

Are they confined to the coop, that can also help 'force' them to use the nests.

 

[mowin]

Might try putting the birds in the nests or on the walking board,
they won't stay but it will pique their curiosity.

Are they confined to the coop, that can also help 'force' them to use the nests.

Oh they have been on the walking board looking into the boxes. There's a board from the roost down to the nest walking board. They walk that to get close to the coop floor before hopping down. A peck or two at the straw is as far as they have ventured.

 

[aart]

Oh they have been on the walking board looking into the boxes. There's a board from the roost down to the nest walking board. They walk that to get close to the coop floor before hopping down. A peck or two at the straw is as far as they have ventured.

Eh...give them time.

 

[mowin]

Eh...give them time.

I'm almost thinking that any treats or scratch I give them is in the run. Not that I give them alot. Half a cuke OR 1/4 cup of scratch a day for 8 hens. Might give them a small handful of grass also.

But maybe there thinking if it's in the run, it's fair game, as that's where I toss stuff. But there layer in in the coop with the waterer.

 

[mowin]

As long as I get eggs, and they don't eat them. Seems the egg that was layed in the run and the fake egg I put in the run, were both quickly pecked at, like any treats I toss in there. But the egg that was laid in the coop, and the fake eggs in the nest boxes are ignored. Maybe the protein boost from the tuna made the difference???

 

[aart]

It's really hard to say, further observation might give a clue....or not.
I'd keep up with the high protein treats to augment the layer feed(16%?),
at least until they are all laying.

Odd that they won't go into the nests, nest messing has been the number one sign that laying is imminent here, but I've always had adult hens around too. First flock had 5 adult hens and a cockbird, he showed them the nests the first day they are here.

New layer notes blurb:
New layers can be quite goofy acting, they don't know what they are doing at first and can be confused and anxious, it can take up to a month or so before they get it all figured out. Putting some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest might help show them where to lay. They may scratch around in the nests for weeks before laying, spreading the bedding everywhere. They will scratch around a bit less in nest as they get used to the routine. Meanwhile, eggs everywhere, some of them can be rather funky looking, soft or thin shelled, huge double yolked eggs.

 

[mowin]

Ugghhhh..... Heard the egg song this morning. Ran out to see the remanence of a egg being consumed on the coop floor.

Why they didn't eat the one yesterday afternoon in the coop, but quickly ate this one is a mystery.

I'm thinking about getting one of my buddies older hens and see if her laying in a nest box helps the situation.

It's either that or BBQ chicken.

 

[aart]

That stinks!
Was the shell thick and hard?
Were all of them eating it?
Curiosity pecking in not unknown with newly laying pullets,
but yours seem to be going above and beyond!

Adding an older is not a good idea IMO.

 

[Kiki]

There on layer, and I do have a container of OS as well.

You mentioned scratch above...how often do you feed scratch and do you feed any other treats?