I have a lazy hen.

[Arztwolf]

One of my dear Production Reds has decided to just plop down and lay an egg in whatever location she happens to be in. The middle of the garage floor, next to a bale of hale, heck, when she first started laying she laid an egg IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY!

She has never ATTEMPTED to make or find a nest. She sometimes lays them WHILE STANDING UP! I discovered that little trick when I kept finding eggs that looked like they had been dropped (nothing above for her to perch on and they appeared at about the time she lays).

Anyone else have a hen doing this?

 

[cd3farm]

I have two or three English Orpingtons that do that. I'll find them every where inside their grazing run just sitting out in the open. It's like they have no clue..

 

[Arztwolf]

I have two or three English Orpingtons that do that. I'll find them every where inside their grazing run just sitting out in the open. It's like they have no clue..

It's like they've forgotten what the little oval shaped things that come out of their butts were originally meant for.

What's worse, I think she's influencing my 6 month old Barred Rock pullet.

 

[sjturner79]

You need to put eggs or fake eggs in the nest box and lock them in for 2-3 days. They should then have a pile of eggs in the best boxes for you and continue to use them for a few months. Once they stop using the boxes again repeat the process.

 

[cd3farm]

I do that and most of them use the boxes, but I have a few that just don't have a clue and don't even try.

 

[Arztwolf]

I also tried that with Madam Lazy. She pushed the ceramic egg out and layed an egg ON TOP of the nest box!

Luckily the box was pushed up against a wall so it didn't roll off and break.

Oh, here's a picture of her and her boyfriend ,the Turken mix named Peregrine. Isn't a molting chicken beautiful?

 

[sjturner79]

I also tried that with Madam Lazy. She pushed the ceramic egg out and layed an egg ON TOP of the nest box! Luckily the box was pushed up against a wall so it didn't roll off and break. Oh, here's a picture of her and her boyfriend ,the Turken mix named Peregrine. Isn't a molting chicken beautiful?

Now that is a bit odd - is the nest box more than a foot square and more than a foot high? If not she may think it's too small to be a nest.

 

[Arztwolf]

Now that is a bit odd - is the nest box more than a foot square and more than a foot high? If not she may think it's too small to be a nest.

It's big enough for the Jersey Giant to fit in (don't know the exact height).

 

[sjturner79]

It's big enough for the Jersey Giant to fit in (don't know the exact height).

So what's different about bieng in the nest box and bieng on the nest box? That will give you a clue as to what she wants to lay in/on

 

[Arztwolf]

So what's different about bieng in the nest box and bieng on the nest box? That will give you a clue as to what she wants to lay in/on

She's free range now, she can't stand to be cooped up. She goes nuts, throwing herself against the wire, etc.