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Is there a way to convince the girls to lay in a different spot?

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by Chicky boom boom 27, Dec 10, 2011.

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  1. Dec 10, 2011 #1
    Chicky boom boom 27

    Chicky boom boom 27 In the Brooder

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    Sep 6, 2011
    Iowa
    My coop is an A shape with the run directly underneath a "landing area" with the nesting boxes, feeder/waterer and roosts. I continuously put bedding in the nesting boxes, but my ladies keep kicking the bedding to the very bottom corner of the coop and laying their eggs the farthest spot from any door. I'm tired of having to crawl through the small chicken door (which I barely fit) and worm my way to the back corner of the coop to pick up their eggs. No one is laying in the nesting boxes anymore! [​IMG]

    They started this after I cleaned their entire coop due to a lice infestation. Did I mess something up when I cleaned it? Should I put more boards along the edges of the nesting boxes to make it harder to kick the bedding out? Is there something I can put in that corner to make it undesirable for laying? [​IMG]

    I'm getting a good workout gathering my eggs, but this is ridiculous! [​IMG]
     
  3. Dec 10, 2011 #2
    mgw

    mgw Songster

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    Do you have fake eggs in the nest boxes! They may need to be reminded where to lay. You need to take the spot away that they are laying in now. Use wood at an angle or something that they cannot get inside or on top of. It is no fun crawling around to collect eggs I'm sure. [​IMG]. Good luck!
     
  5. Dec 10, 2011 #3
    elmo

    elmo Songster

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    Did you use something to clean out the nestboxes that might be bothering them? If the nestboxes are made of wood, there might still be critters hiding in the crevices.

    That's one reason I like to use plastic storage bins for nestboxes. They're extremely easy to clean, and there are no crevices that mites can hide in.
     
  7. Dec 10, 2011 #4
    Fierlin1182

    Fierlin1182 powered-flight

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    Yeah, there might be something in there that's bothering them, but if the boxes are clean they might just want some more privacy. Try the fake eggs method first, and if that fails, put something up to shield the nest boxes from the doors. My hens didn't for the life of them want to lay in the nest boxes, deciding to make a nest behind them instead. I figured that must've been it. [​IMG]
     

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