Hen lays eggs while on the roost

[FarmerCarl]

I have 6 RIR hens that are coming up on their 2nd birthdays. One of them, (I assume it's just one) is dropping her egg off the roost bar onto the coop floor. Lucky for me it's pretty deep with bedding and none of her eggs have broken yet. But I don't get why she's doing it. Is it just a quirk of hers, or could something be wrong?

I should add that they have 5 nest boxes to choose from but most of the time find all the eggs in one box.

 

[Lesa]

Are you sure she is not just laying the egg on the coop floor? Sometimes I find an egg on the floor, and I assume this is what happened...

 

[chickletranch]

My hens all seem to prefer the same 2-3 nestboxes, though we have 7 (for 26 hens, some of whom are older). If hens are occupying all of the 'favorite' nests, they will look for another spot - the perches, on the floors, etc.. - rather than simply laying in the empty nestboxes. You might try putting some fake eggs in the other nests to encourage them. That sometimes works for us.

Best,
Lynn

 

[modenacart]

Mine will kick eggs out of the egg box sometimes too.

 

[FarmerCarl]

Quote:
That's a good question!

You know...I had to think about that for a minute. She might be laying her eggs there and not dropping them, but after I thought about it, the spot where the egg is doesn't have any kind of bowl shape or depression like a hen was setting there. Wouldn't they make a little pocket to sit down and lay in? The egg is just laying there on the floor and the floor looks just like it does everywhere else. No dips, ridges, or any indication that a hen had been nesting there. Hmmm.

 

[shelleyb1969]

One of my hens did the same thing when she first started laying. When I turned the lights out at night, there were no eggs to be found. Next morning when I went to the coop (before daylight), there'd be an egg on the floor. Silly girl....couldn't hold it, I guess.

 

[rittert3]

In high school we did a kiddie barnyard type thing and I took a freinds barred rock hen. Well as I was holding her on my lap talking to the younger kids she laid an egg right there. I know a little off topic but my point is I don't think non-broodies are very picky about where they lay, and don't nessicaily have to be comfortable. This hen wasn't wild and crazy but far from a pet and she was stressed out being held.

 

[JakRat]

Quote:
that is really funny!

I think that mine forget to lay the egg in the box sometimes, or one of them is sitting on the box when they need to lay an egg. I had a girl that refused to get off the nest in the morning for a bit and I found eggs right next to the box... i had to push her off and be a bit stern with her