Hens moving their wooden eggs??

[mraeirish]

My hens are all 17 weeks. I put wooden eggs in the coop in their nest boxes and somehow they have moved them out and into the woods behind their coop. Are they telling me that they are planning on laying their eggs in the woods? Crazy chickens! I moved the wooden eggs back to the nesting boxes today but am still missing a couple. They free range during the day and everyone comes back to the coop in the evening without any problems. I keep waiting for that first egg in the nest box and now I'm wondering if it's already been laid somewhere in the forest?

 

[azygous]

Chickens do move eggs. But also pack rats and other egg stealing critters may be doing it. This is where one of those game cameras would come in handy to see who and how the eggs are getting moved.

It's especailly important to keep new layers cooped up for a period of time as they begin to lay so that they know where the eggs need to be deposited. A few days should do it. If you don't, every day will be an Easter egg hunt at your place.

 

[mraeirish]

Chickens do move eggs. But also pack rats and other egg stealing critters may be doing it. This is where one of those game cameras would come in handy to see who and how the eggs are getting moved.

It's especailly important to keep new layers cooped up for a period of time as they begin to lay so that they know where the eggs need to be deposited. A few days should do it. If you don't, every day will be an Easter egg hunt at your place.

We do have game cameras, I’ll have to put it on video mode and see what I can find out. I’m pretty sure it has to be the hens because we haven’t lost any chickens to predators.

 

[azygous]

Waiting to see this mystery solved.

 

[3KillerBs]

One of mine has been taking the golf balls out of the nest and putting them into a nest on the floor.

I've got one broody (put into the breaker today), and fear that this means I have another on the way.

 

[mraeirish]

One of mine has been taking the golf balls out of the nest and putting them into a nest on the floor.

I've got one broody (put into the breaker today), and fear that this means I have another on the way.

As far as I know my hens haven't laid yet so I don't think they could be broody?

 

[Mtnboomer]

My hens are all 17 weeks. I put wooden eggs in the coop in their nest boxes and somehow they have moved them out and into the woods behind their coop. Are they telling me that they are planning on laying their eggs in the woods? Crazy chickens! I moved the wooden eggs back to the nesting boxes today but am still missing a couple. They free range during the day and everyone comes back to the coop in the evening without any problems. I keep waiting for that first egg in the nest box and now I'm wondering if it's already been laid somewhere in the forest?

Mine kick theirs around like soccer balls! I take them out once the new additions have figured it out