Hens in "Chicky Jail" **UPDATE**

[cheeptrick]

WindyOakesYokes...
I've got 24 EE's 21 weeks old Friday and I'm only getting 1 egg every other day or so. Only maybe 5 or so have really red combs. I was told by allen wranch NOT to lock them up...but I'm thinking about going back to locking them up. How else are they supposed to learn? I can't keep up this egg hunt and I want to TRAIN them.
Are there other EE owners out there at my chickens age laying MORE or less?
The one is laying in the nest boxes...just in case you were wondering!

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

UPDATE****

Well, it looks like I have to lock them up again... I had 3 lay under the house today... so far 16 eggs today (and one more setting right now)... I know there were some layed in the woods too, but cant find them.

Guess I let them out too soon. I can only guess that the three are new to laying.

I was told by allen wranch NOT to lock them up...

ummmm why??? I was told by a few individuals to lock them in... that was going to be the only way for me to be able to get the eggs since I could not find where they were laying. Hmmmm Allen... why no to locking (if you are reading this post) I am just currious to your reasoning. How else do you train them to lay in the coop???

7 chick... lol thats okay... I was justa wondering.

 

[cheeptrick]

Here is the post copied from an old thread I made about 3 weeks ago below from Allen Wranch...
Why are you locking them up ? If they are used to going into the coop at night, and you have nest boxes available, they will seek them out when they are ready to lay. Even if you coop them up until they lay, a few may still prefer to find a spot outside anyway.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

LMAO... too funny... guess he has the perfect chickens... hmmm interesting.

Locking them up trains them to lay in the coop and that is what I have to do since mine like to lay over a 5 acre section of land that they free range on. We do have 40 acres all together but they stay with in the 5 acres. I have been told as I said earlier that it does not harm them to set in the coop a few days. I hate doing it... but when you have 41 (right now only a few laying but I think you get my point) hens that are laying all over and you cant find them, you cant afford to keep them. Personally I see nothing wrong with giving them a few days in "chicky jail" they still love me and come to me regardless, and I do let them out in the evening so they do have some time to run around. There is nothing different from me locking them up in the coop and run... then those that are working all day and keep theres locked in. My coop and run is an all in one deal. As I said above, usually my chickens free range over 5 acers but the need to keep them in the coop and run is bennificial to find the eggs; so it is not like I am cooping them up in some small area. I am sorry if I went a little overboard explaining but I didnt want others getting the wrong idea thinking that I am restricting them complete freedom.

And as for them knowing where their coop is... that has NOTHING at all to do with their laying preference!!! No, they do not seek out the nesting boxes to lay!!! My hens will go find any spot they want to lay... Cheeptrick... concfusting to me!!!!

 

[cheeptrick]

Confusing to me too...
NOT to mention...I've got poison IVY from all the searching! I'm cooping MINE so my poison IVY will go away!! LOL

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

LOL.... I agree with yah... thank goodness I am amuned to poison oak and ivy now!!! I got a real bad case as a kid and ended up in the hospital.... now I can wipe it all over me and not get it

LOL... I know this becasue our farm has it EVERYWHERE... and everyone else in the family gets it but me!!!!!!!!!!! I feel for ya hun....

I dont think a few days hurts them at all, it hasnt mine and I am out there every couple of hours checking on them, water, food, collecting eggs.... etc.... I wish I didnt have too lock them up again... but with the new ones that are laying... I really dont have a choice... I wish it was for only morning... but they are now laying from sun up until about 5:00 in the after noon... so I really have no choice...

Good Luck to you!!! let me know how it works out for you.

 

[jackiedon]

Okay, I'm following WindyOak's lead and kept my hens that I haven't been able to find the eggs. Today was day 1 and it was painful for me because they paced and paced. They would fuss at me everytime I would walk by. I pulled grass out of my garden so they would have some fresh grass to eat and I also gave them some tomatoes. They still fussed at me. The rooster that sleeps on top of their pen fussed at me also.

I only got 2 eggs today one from the leghorn and 1 from the mixed banty.

We will try tomorrow. I will have to go to work tomorrow so they can't fuss at me as much.

jackie

 

[cheeptrick]

I'm also having confinement GUILT! They are so pathetic and I finally broke down and let them out after 1 egg was laid and HIDDEN under the straw.
Tomorrow will be better...NO kids to beg me to let them FREE!

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

LOL... I know how you feel hun. It's difficult with the kids around... but I explained it to my four this way.... would you all like to go searching for eggs over 5 acres??? They say no, I say fine then this is the way it has to be.

I do feel quilty though just myself, but I know they have enough room... I just hate not seeing them running around the yard and coming in the house to visit. LOL.

Good luck tomrrow

 

[boomerge]

if you can it would be better to have a chicken run where their movement would restricted but they could still roam around and have access to a laying box