Hen laying-Free Range/Coop Night

[TMChickens]

Hi! Our Hen has been free ranging during day and cooped at night. We found where she has laid her first ever eggs outside the coop. She would not be safe to sit on the eggs in the current location and the eggs are not safe. Not that she seems interested in that at this point, but she may.
She is cooped at night with 2 Hens & a Rooster her age (6 months) & 13 chickens (2 months) 17 Guineas.
We would like her to lay in the coop. We have 12 nesting boxes but she "roosts" all night never sits in boxes.
Can we move the eggs into the coop? Are they safe from the other chicks in there?

Right now we want them to be happy and safe. We might start to collect them or she can sit on them.

Either way we would like her to lay them in the coop.
Suggestions?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The best way to get a new hen laying in the coop is to lock her (or the whole flock) in the coop for a few days.

You also need to remove her stash from her hidden spot and preferably block it so that she can't get to it.

"Salt" eggs in the preferred nests to encourage her to lay.

Be aware that many hens never go broody, but if you would like her to brood, you need to first train her to lay where you want her to. Think ahead as to which nest box would be best for brooding.

Generally it is best if brooding hens are not in the main coop where feet tromp on developing eggs and eggs get laid and intermixed with developing eggs. This leads to very poor hatches.

But first things first. Get her to lay properly in the coop by locking her in the coop.

LofMc

 

[TMChickens]

Thank you so much! Our nesting boxes are on the wall so may not get many feet on them and no other Hens are laying. As we free range them all day and lock them up at night would it be ok just to let her have the coop all day or best to move her to one Coop by herself? We have a tiny one that would work for her by herself.
Firs time owner...what does "salt" the egg mean?

I am so glad I joined! Thank you again!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Sorry... slang...it simply means to put fake eggs in the nests to encourage laying there. You can use ping pong balls or golf balls or ceramic eggs.

Yes, you can lock just her in the coop. I wouldn't worry about putting her in a separate coop. She is young and has shown no signs of broodiness, and it is the wrong time of year for most hens to consider brooding (typically that happens in spring with my large fowl birds...Silkles and Cochins will brood pretty much anytime of the year).

Just get her into good laying habits. She will then show the others what to do when they come into lay.

As to broodiness...You can worry about what to do if she shows signs of broodiness. If she does ever go broody, putting her in that small isolated coop would be the thing to do...but that's only when she is ready to brood. (You'll know...she'll stay 24x7 in the nest, roll eggs under her, and puff and growl at any disturbance)...but again, there is no guarantee that your hen will ever go broody if she is a commercially bred layer type as they have genetically been selected against brooding (brooding isn't laying).

LofMc

 

[TMChickens]

Sorry... slang...it simply means to put fake eggs in the nests to encourage laying there. You can use ping pong balls or golf balls or ceramic eggs.

Yes, you can lock just her in the coop. I wouldn't worry about putting her in a separate coop. She is young and has shown no signs of broodiness, and it is the wrong time of year for most hens to consider brooding (typically that happens in spring with my large fowl birds...Silkles and Cochins will brood pretty much anytime of the year).

Just get her into good laying habits. She will then show the others what to do when they come into lay.

As to broodiness...You can worry about what to do if she shows signs of broodiness. If she does ever go broody, putting her in that small isolated coop would be the thing to do...but that's only when she is ready to brood. (You'll know...she'll stay 24x7 in the nest, roll eggs under her, and puff and growl at any disturbance)...but again, there is no guarantee that your hen will ever go broody if she is a commercially bred layer type as they have genetically been selected against brooding (brooding
isn't laying).


Thank you so much. We'll teach her now then. Lots to learn.

Thanks again!
LofMc