Help me solve this mystery.

[davidr]

I have 11 hens that have been averaging 8 eggs/day.

I have 3 nest boxes that always have between 1-3 in each of them.

Everyday I find 1 or 2 eggs on the floor, there are two spots one is under the next boxes, the other is under the roots (which are on the other side of the coop) I don’t think it’s the same two hens everyday as sometimes there are 2 brown eggs, and sometimes 1 brown and 1 white (2 of the 11 are Leghorns)

They lay between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm I have never seen all 3 nests occupied at the same time.

So the question is, what’s going on? My first reaction was to add more nests but I’m not sure. I read 1 nest for every 4 birds was sufficient.

This isn’t a big problem; I think they do it to see me crawl around on all fours.

I would appreciate any and all thoughts.

Thanx,

David

 

[shaggy]

i am going to bump this ... i would like to see the answer too

 

[CMV]

Try placing golf balls or fake eggs or marked store bought eggs in your nesting boxes for a few days to show them where they are supposed to be laying. They may get the idea...or they may not. Silly chickens.

 

[davidr]

I forgot to mention, that there has been a golf ball in each nest since they started laying (August 3).

Also, I have noticed tht some of the g irls are better "mothers" than others, The Black Sex linked, tuck the golf ball under when ever they are in the nest, but the Black Jersey Giant stands in the nest and lets em drop, sounds like someone is dropping a cue ball on a pool table.

Thanx for the bump,

David

 

[1stepcloser]

LMAO at the cue ball sound!

 

[AmyRey]

 

[Happy Chooks]

I don't know, but all I can say is some of mine like the "fake eggs" and some don't. So I cluster the golfballs together in 3 like a clutch, and leave a couple nest boxes empty.

My light brahma will ONLY lay in a box with fake eggs, and my BO will shove the suckers out to have a "clean" nest.

 

[Countrywife]

I have actually always used the plastic easter eggs. I buy a couple bags during easter and use them during the year. I caught one broody hatching one a couple weeks ago, felt sorry for her and gave her some eggs. Also, I wonder if your boxes are allowing someone else to push the eggs out. I use cat litter boxes, which have side high enough that they can't roll them out.

On a side note, yes, I think the girls are enjoying making you crawl around on the floor for the egg hunt.

 

[fasbendera]

I find eggs once in a while on the floor. I have 8 nest boxes. I think that they have favorite boxes and if someone is in their box they lay on the floor. There will be eggs in three of the eight and then an egg on the floor. Not a weekly occurance maybe once a month I get a egg or two on the floor. I can't tell you how many times I have gone in my coop and there are 6 empty boxes and two hens in one nest and one hen in another nest and one screaming bloody murder because there is someone in her nest. Oh and they seem to change their favorite nest once in a while.

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Ours were really good about using nesting boxes then one day decided to start using a wine barrel that we made into a cooler (use frozen ice blocks inside to cool the air). That went on for about a week, then back to the nests. I have found one hen standing on top of another trying to get her turn in the same nest even though there are 3 more available. I even had one laying eggs in her sleep! You just gotta love them!

Edited to add: some chickens are better mommies then others. You can look at Murray Mc Murray catalog by breed and they usually say if the breed is a good or bad brooder.