Hen leaving nesting box to lay

[annetteincomo]

I have a 1-year old Easter Egger who is a strong layer and has laid all through the winter. She laid with no problems in the nesting boxes for months. Then, just in the last month or two, she has started a new habit of going into the nesting box to start the laying process, but then leaving and laying the egg in the run. This means her eggs get dirty and poopy, and a few have gotten cracked and eaten.

The chickens are in a combined large coop/run tractor. There are 2 nesting boxes for 3 birds, so there is no competition for boxes, and she is the alpha in the pecking order. The nesting boxes have coir nesting pads and some pine shavings.

All the conditions seem to be ideal for her to lay in the box. And since she did this consistently for so long, I can't figure out why she would start leaving the box to lay.

Any ideas?

 

[sourland]

Not sure why she is doing this, but I would try adding more nesting material and nest eggs to the nest boxes. If that doesn't work I'd add curtains. Good luck at breaking this habit.

 

[annetteincomo]

Yes, I've added more nesting material, I've had nest eggs from the beginning, and I also have curtains! I can't figure it out.

 

[WIchickMama]

I have2 that do this once in awhile, and I was able to "catch" one in the act. It wasn't that they were laying in the run, but the egg was sticking in their butt fluff and then detatching/falling off once they hopped down into the run

 

[aart]

Might suspect pests in nest?

 

[annetteincomo]

Possible, but I don’t think so. She does lay in the nesting box maybe 1/3 or 1/2 of the time. And the other hens lay in the boxes with no trouble.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have had hens just get a notion to lay somewhere else. I would put set a nest up in the run, and see if she will lay there. Leave it set up for a while, then just take it away, and they will often 'find' the original 'new' nests to lay in. Crazy birds.

 

[aart]

Possible, but I don’t think so. She does lay in the nesting box maybe 1/3 or 1/2 of the time. And the other hens lay in the boxes with no trouble.

Then it's probably....

the egg was sticking in their butt fluff and then detatching/falling off once they hopped down into the run

 

[PopoMyers]

I had a few rogue eggs outside of the nesting boxes, when the girls were coming out of their winter rest. I think they are back to normal now, although no eggs yesterday.