Ideas to keep bird from laying from roost.

[AnaD]

My RSL has been laying for almost a week. She had two good eggs in a nest box but now I keep finding them beneath the roost. I have two nest boxes for 6 chickens only 4 are laying yet. I added another nest box (yesterday) thinking that maybe she was either bullied out of a nest box or they were already occupied, but this morning I found her egg on the floor again.
Does anyone have any ideas of how I can stop her from doing this?

 

[Quinn4321]

You definetely have enough nest boxes: 1 is recommended per 4-5 hens. I would try putting golf balls in the nests, or locking her in one for a day.

 

[AnaD]

yep, I have had the golf balls in place since the became mature enough to lay.

 

[v.cyr]

Other Hen(creative name, eh?...

), one of our BR/BO crosses is doing the same thing...I have caught her setting under the the roost 3 or 4 times now and have physically moved her to one of the boxes each time, but she just goes back as soon as I leave the coop... only one of our other hens gets pushy about the nest box she claims as hers, but with 3 20 gal totes for nest boxes, and all the other hens not having a problem with sharing(even as far as 3 nesting in one box at the same time), I am not sure why Other Hen has decide the manure under the roost is a more suitable spot... I am gonna try closing off the area under the roost temporarily with some chicken wire , and see if she decides that the nest boxes are good enough for her eggs...

 

[AKsmama]

Sometimes new layers do that. It's normal and I'll bet with time she'll get the hang of laying in the box. Be patient with her.

Don't lock her in a nesting box- all you're going to do is freak out your chicken.

 

[AnaD]

Quote:
AAA! It never would have crossed my mind to do so! LOL

 

[GreenGables]

I have an Australorp that laid eggs from the roost when she first started laying eggs. At first she laid in the nest box but after that I would find an egg on the floor under the roost. This happened several times. This was a passing stage. She now lays her eggs only in the nest boxes.