I want that nest.

[aart]

It will go opposite the roost, my poop boards are on the floor.

Might want to think that out....nests under poop boards saves floor space...but I can't remember how big your coop is.

 

[Col1948]

6 Foot x 4 Foot

 

[Col1948]

I opened the coop this morning, they all came out except for the Maran, she was in the corner trying to lay an egg but no nest box was there as I took it out last night with the intention of adding the wooden nest boxes.
I had to move her so I could put the boxes in, she was determined to stay in that spot, she kept going back to it, as soon as I put the wooden nest boxes in she went in one straight away, no hesitation, she must have been desperate to lay lol.

Update:
She did lay very quick, this time the egg was slightly larger than the last two she had laid plus slightly darker shell.

 

[Col1948]

The soft egg layer went straight in the nest box the Maran was in, leaving the other two, she laid an egg and luckily it wasn't broken this time, the shell shell was brittle but intact.

 

[Shadrach]

The soft egg layer went straight in the nest box the Maran was in, leaving the other two, she laid an egg and luckily it wasn't broken this time, the shell shell was brittle but intact.

How old is your soft shell egg layer?

 

[Col1948]

Update:
This morning has been interesting, opened the coop, as usual they all came out then the Maran went straight back in, she investigated each nest box before deciding on the last one in the corner which seems to be the favourite nest.
Then a few moments late in came the Blue Andalusian, she wanted also to go in the corner nest and she was trying to squeeze in. This went on a for a while, she was in and out of the other nests but kept trying the corner one, eventually she gave up, then the Maran came out she didn't lay.

After a few more minutes the Maran was back, again trying the corner nest, then the Andalasian was back with the same routine, she ended up winning the corner nest and she laid her first egg, I was pleased.

Around 10 more minutes the Black Rock went in and she always goes in the corner nest, a few minutes past and the Maran went in, again trying to squeeze in with the Rock, she gave up and went next door, she then did something unusual, she came out and was picking straw the the corner nest and throwing it over her shoulder, then went back in her nest.
The rock came out and she had laid her egg, she is the one who lays soft/brittle eggs, I managed to collect it but this time my finger slightly cracked the shell, I put it in a dish.
The after around five minutes the Maran came out and she too had laid her egg, I notice the other day her first egg after her stopping for a while was light coloured, they are getting darker each time.

So after all this shuffling, I ended up with three eggs, I'm please the Andalusian has started to lay, just got two more to go then they will all be laying, I have another Maran and a Light Sussex, they may be a bit young yet plus the daylight hours are short here now as well.

 

[Col1948]

@Shadrach, Sorry I was posting as you did, the soft egg layer is not very old, not sure of her true age I bought them all in late October as 'Point of Lay' they are all pullets.
When she first laid the first couple were OK then all of a sudden they started to be soft shell, she wasn't eating them she shuffles about a lot in the nest and I think she breaks them with her moving about, as of late the shell has improved, it's like three quarters of it is fairly hard but there is a soft spot also.
They all get Oyster shell plus their own egg shells crushed plus they free range so they do get the grit they need, I also feed the layer pellets, it must be OK for the others to lay good eggs.

 

[Shadrach]

I just wondered. The older hens here when they lay tend to lay eggs with thinner (?) or more brittle shells. Roughly it seems to be after about 6 years old. Normally this isn't a problem but should one decide to sit a lot of eggs get broken.

 

[Col1948]

Well you may have hit the nail on the head, it is possible she isn't a pullet but older, the farm I bought them from he had lots of chickens.
They were all mixed together, I just picked 3 and he got them and put them in a box to transport home.
I later went back and bought 2 more, but to be honest he had lots of chickens and it did seem like some were young and some older.
I noticed he had a lot of cockerels and roosters in the flock too, they were all crowing as though trying to outdo each other, I never saw any aggression with them but I only there a short time.

I forgot to add, the soft egg layer is also the Queen hen, she is at the top of the pecking order.

 

[Shadrach]

Well you may have hit the nail on the head, it is possible she isn't a pullet but older, the farm I bought them from he had lots of chickens.
They were all mixed together, I just picked 3 and he got them and put them in a box to transport home.
I later went back and bought 2 more, but to be honest he had lots of chickens and it did seem like some were young and some older.
I noticed he had a lot of cockerels and roosters in the flock too, they were all crowing as though trying to outdo each other, I never saw any aggression with them but I only there a short time.

Even if she was older it wouldn't account for the soft shell eggs though.
It was just a thought.
I find it really difficult to tell how old chickens are.