Hidden Nest found!

[michiele]

We have a 6 month old Welsummer, Coco, who began laying maybe a month ago. We have had a terrible time keeping her in our yard - we are on one acre and the chickens free range in the backyard. She keeps jumping our fence into the front yard - we thought laying there but we could never find a nest. We have been keeping the chickens in the coop until about 1pm each day - hoping she will start laying in the nest boxes. Today, I got home late (3:45). When I went out to let them out, Coco ran as fast as she could to the front and jumped the fence again. By the time I had walked over to where she was, she was GONE. I looked all around the front yard, but could not find her anywhere. Since she can jump the fence back into the backyard, I just went inside. About 15 mins later, I heard the Egg song in the side yard and found her in the back again. This is getting old...

So, my hubby went out front and did some serious searching and came across her nest in the front bushes, under the ornamental grass. 16 EGGS! I am so happy to know where she is laying now. At least we can still gather the eggs, even if she doesn't lay in the nest box like she should.

Questions: Wonder if the eggs are any good? One was warm so I knew that was todays Anyway to tell if they are good to eat?
Also, any way to get her to lay in the nest boxes? It seemed like today, she was just "holding it" until we let her out! I don't want to have them penned up in the run ALL the time.

 

[Nonny]

What a gorgeous looking nest!.

You could try and train her out of it, and I'm sure it would work in only a week or two. The only issue I can see with leaving her nest where it is, is that if you have snakes in your area they may soon know where to lie in wait for their lunch.

I wouldn't eat teh eggs that you found... 16 eggs = 16 days and unless it's been nice and cool for all of them I wouldn't trust that the eggs are still safe to eat. You could do the float test... as they decline the air sac gets bigger and they will float in a bowl of water. Eggs that sink are still good.

 

[Tracydr]

Float them in a glass of water. The bad ones will float, good ones will sink. I would still open each one into a small bowl before putting them into your frying pan or mixing into the rest of your eggs, though, I've cracked some open and had them not look that great. But I'd say 95% of the time this trick works for me. Since the weather is cool, chances are they'll all be fine. Eggs last a long time when they haven't had the "bloom" scrubbed off.

 

[michiele]

Quote:
How would I go about training her out of it?

 

[hispoptart]

You can float the eggs to see if they are still good, can't remember whether they sink they are good or if they float they are good, I tried to do a search here but my computer is acting up. Do a search for float test and I am sure you will get your answer.

 

[hispoptart]

never mind ya got your answer

BYC people are great!

 

[Nonny]

Keep her in the run/coop area until you KNOW she is laying in there regularly, and also remove any eggs you find in her secret nest as soon as you find them... make it no longer a "safe" place for her to leave them. (Of course if you do this and still free range her then you'll find she may sneak off to a new spot and you'll be on the great egg hunt all over again). You can let the others out , but keep her in until she's laid.

 

[chick-in-florida]

ah yes those rascals that hide the eggs...I just found a secret nest in the coop on a top shelf where i had a half bag of pine chips. I was wondering why the egg count was down for a couple days. Then last night I heard a commotion and found a hen up there on the shelf -AND a small snake. I thought she was just telling me about the snake. Then after I dispensed with the snake I found a nest with 11 eggs! Ha ha. Chickens are such fun.

 

[Farm Frenzy]

Ya I would definitely do the water test on them. But really and truely Americans are the only country that keep their eggs in the refrigerator. I love your nest too by the way.

 

[roxyblue]

Once I was at a farm dropping off my rooster and found a hidden pile of 40+ eggs inbetween some haybales that appeared to be all from one chicken!

It was soo much fun, the lady that owned the farm was shocked.