Hiding fake egg and not laying yet?

[nolitaflat]

Hey all. So my hens, I’ve had them for 23 weeks. Neither of them (Easter Egger and Gold Laced Wyandotte) are laying, but my EE is submitting for the rooster and getting a lot calmer and friendlier around me.

The other day I opened their coop (they don’t sleep in there anymore because they’re so big, building a new one currently don’t worry) I found that one of them has been digging what I think is a potential nest. They have nesting boxes in the pen but one of them is preferring the coop. I put a golf ball in there and yesterday noticed it was gone. Today I went digging and sure enough one of them has buried the golf ball in their makeshift nest.

What does this mean? I’ll attached a picture of the nest they’ve made and the golf ball the day I put it in. Gearing up for laying maybe??

 

[lbgreenfield]

Sounds like they are getting ready to lay! When my now 6-month old hens were getting ready to lay a while back, some would go into the nesting boxes and dig around, sit for a bit, then leave and come back and do it all over again. My nesting boxes looked like yours does in the photo you attached. Keep an eye on them and get ready for eggs

 

[drinkoj]

They are self teaching themselves how to cover/protect and hide their eggs. They'll tear the box material out of the nest and then start kicking more in there. I just went into the box, softly dug to find the hidden golf balls, adjusted the straw in the box, and then relayed the golf ball on top for them to hide. Figure practice make perfect and yesterday found our first egg and it was half way covered.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

They could be using the bedding to dust bathe in as well. I've got several who seem to prefer it to the actual dirt outside. I've got one girl who refuses to lay anywhere but the corner of the coop floor, and daily the floor rollers bury her egg in bedding. Do you have fake eggs or golf balls in the nesting boxes as well?

 

[lbgreenfield]

They are self teaching themselves how to cover/protect and hide their eggs. They'll tear the box material out of the nest and then start kicking more in there. I just went into the box, softly dug to find the hidden golf balls, adjusted the straw in the box, and then relayed the golf ball on top for them to hide. Figure practice make perfect and yesterday found our first egg and it was half way covered.

First egg! Yay!

 

[aart]

New layers often tear up the nests, they'll figure it out soon.