How To Get Hens To Lay Eggs in Nesting Boxes

[feathersnuggles]

That's so cool you let Sweetie Pie survive! I have no experience with one-legged chickens, but I wonder if she might lay eggs eventually if you fed her some extra protein for a while, to see if she can get a little bit bigger and stronger.

I have a pullet that didn't thrive like the others, even as a chickie. She had a somewhat crossed lower beak - she does a small scissor-like motion with her beak when she eats, which sometimes made the food drop out. She was very timid, and was picked on so that she didn't eat as much. Even when they free ranged outside, she would get hit with a beak in the head by the stronger birds from time to time, and she'd scream and run. So, when I saw how much smaller she was, and how much bigger the other pullets were getting (even tho she had been one of the biggest chicks), I decided to bring her inside for a special treat of protein almost every day. I figured I could help her give her a "leg up" and help her get stronger and grow bigger by letting her eat some high-quality protein food, in peace and away from the other birds. For example: scrambled egg, a little bit of fish, some black oil sunflower seeds, etc. At first she just ate a little, but as the weeks went by I started noticing that she was putting on more weight, her feathers were getting glossier, and she had a fuller crop at night, on the roost. It took a lot of weeks, but I knew things were changing when one day I offered her some sunflower seeds in the palm of my hand and, unlike when I could barely feel her pecking, she nearly tore the flesh off my fingers! And, best of all, she gradually began fighting for food along side the other birds. I HAD wondered if she'd ever lay an egg - and SHE eventually did lay perfect eggs!

Anyway, it's just a guess...but if it were me, I'd try it with Sweetie Pie!

OK - So, I just saw your question about squatting... Squatting is very distinctive. When you move towards her or wave your hand over her back, she'll suddenly freeze in a crouched down postion, wings slightly flared, legs slightly apart, head tucked little bit. She's bracing herself for a rooster to mount her and perform his business.

I can never catch mine "in the squat" cuz it happens too fast, but here's someone else's picture of it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29577744@N06/3813512811/

 

[chickon baby]

Learn something new everyday!!! Never knew what "squatting was" When I go to pet my blk wyondottes,they do that.(I do not have a roo.) As far as nesting boxes,mine have layed eggs in the nesting boxes,on the floor,outside and on the roosting ledge.I even put golf balls in the N.Boxes.Mine do not like the pine chips,straw or hay and will kick it all out.They love cut grass.After cutting,we lay it out on a tarp to dry for abt 5 days.We dont use any chemicals on the lawn.Last winter was our 1st winter w/the girls and ran out of the grass so we tried the other things and they were not happy at all.I hope we have enough to last this winter.My G.lace was a runt and the lowest on the pecking order,she has always loved eating out of our hands and Ive always made sure she gets a little extra treats.She has grown and although she is still smaller than the others,she is doing fine.Im sure sweetie pie will do well and I bet she will lay.Mine were all born 4-1-08 and started laying in July.. she knows how much she is loved...Cute name too.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Quote:
Yep, I don't have a roo, either. Squatting is an instinctive thing they do around either a real rooster or a "human rooster". Since you are dominant over them, you protect, you bring them food, you are the biggest, you are the boss... therefore, in their brains, you are their rooster.

My girls also love grass, but we don't have enough to do what you are doing, so they get straw and soft pine shavings. Some of the nesting material gets kicked out, and then it gets kicked in again as they spend time fussing with the nest to get it "just right".

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I posted this same question before mine started laying. It was funny, though, when they did start. I had been meaning to get golf balls to put in the boxes for them for weeks. I had been checking the coop daily (for feathers) but skipped a day. My room mate went out, decided to check for eggs, and found 4 in a nest box! aside from a few abandoned nests they made in bushes and the pair of dumb hens who keep laying eggs on my work table between the chopsaw and the table saw, mine lay in thee boxes just fine.

 

[Redleglink]

I have a hen that has been laying for two weeks in her nesting box. Now for two days she lays her eggs from the roost. Of course the eggs fall and break. How do I get her back into the nest?

 

[dalhartchick]

I have 6 laying hens they have just been laying for the last month we didn't get there nest built before they started laying but as soon as they laid there first egg we built them that day and that was almost 4 weeks ago now and we've put fake eggs in there too but they still refuse to get in them at all, my husband is getting really frustrated with having to search inside and outside in there pin for the eggs. Is there anything else we can try ? Please help.

 

[Dirtroadhome01]

I just found about 20 eggs under our front porch, my neighbor told me to put some wooden eggs in the nesting boxes and keep them intthe coop for a day or two. I will try that, I'm not sure how pleased they will be with me though they love to wander.

 

[Dawneebird]

I have four hens. TWO are molting. I think the other two are laying but we don't have any eggs at all lately. Theey r all free range. I think they are laying their eggs in the yard somewhere. Do you think some golf balls would help them start laying in nesting boxes again?? HELP! THANKS!

 

[Black wallnut]

My hens started laying in an open box that contained old curtains in a part of my covered shed in which their coop is also built. A couple or few of them have always layed in the nesting box. When they first started a couple were laying in a box that I had been keeping cleaned out used shavings from the coop. After a few weeks I moved that box into the coop right in front of the entrance hole for the nesting box, after a few days removing it altogether. I'm not sure if it worked or not. For a while we were getting 3-4 eggs in the nesting box and more in the curtain box. Then one day the egg collection started slowing down to only 6 eggs for 12 pullets. So I went a looking for eggs. I found a stash in another open storage box on a top shelf. I closed up that box and made it so the girls could not use it anymore. A few days later I was still not getting what I thought was enough eggs. I went searching again, sure enough they found another box in another building in which to lay eggs. I solved that problem as well.

My next move was to keep them in the coop for several days. I figure Tuesday or Wednesday I will let them free range again. By then both places that they were also laying eggs will be secured in such a way that the girls will not be able to even enter. Hopefully after only having the nesting box for a week they will all be patterned to use the nesting box. Today's egg count was 9, which I think is acceptable. By the way when I first added the nesting box I placed 4 hollow plastic golf balls in it. I've since removed them, maybe I should replace them. Either way I'll try to remember to check back into this thread in a few weeks with an update if the lock-in worked or not.

 

[philipchickymad]

I JUST PUT THE EGGS IN THE NEST BOX EVERYTIME ONE WAS LAID AND AFTER A WEEK IT WORKED