Laying eggs all over coop

[Ellie]

My chickens have always laid their eggs in their nests with few exceptions. Now they are laying them all over the place.... but still in the coop. Lucy, an RIR even jumps over to the human side and squats on the trash can that holds their feed and egg drops and breaks all over the place.

Now, Lacy is broody and in the middle nest. Some lay in the nests on either side of her and of course, some jump on her eggs when she takes her break.

Do you think they are doing this because Lacy is broody? Do you have any experience with this?

Thanks,

 

[doodledoo]

As far as I know our hens use the nest boxes but we do have to mark the broodys eggs because you can bet if she gets up someone else is getting in and laying an egg. We count them everyday.

 

[Ellie]

You are right about marking the eggs! They had the mom's name written on them by Speckled Hen, but it is very faint now so yesterday I put big X's all over them. She is a small hen and I don't see how she can sit on everyone's eggs plus her own, LOL.

 

[ginbart]

How many nest boxes do you have? How many chickens?

 

[Chicken Woman]

I have 4 RR and they are laying 4 eggs almost everyday. they are 7 months old. It is weird that even though I have 6 nesting boxes they all lay there eggs in one box. So when i check there are 4 eggs in one box. Isn't that weird ?

 

[ginbart]

I know what you mean about weird. I get about 7 or 8 eggs a day and they are in the same 3 box's and I have 8 box's but they only use the 3. I guess you have enought box's. Do you have any fake eggs in them? I used golf balls. Maybe that would help.

 

[Ellie]

I have 12 chickens and 3 boxes. 4 are teens and just starting to lay. Of course, Lacy does not lay.

 

[debilorrah]

I can't help - my chickens are very orderly and lay where they are supposed to. Even when they don't use the nesting boxes they make a nest so it is obvious.

 

[Chicken Woman]

Haven't heard of that but I will try it and see what they do. My bantams are not laying at all and I don't know why !

 

[HenMamma]

My younger girls were laying all over the coop too. I think it was because they didn't know where to lay! Once I put a couple of ceramic eggs in a nest they all started laying in the box. They would even try to cram in 2 at a time! silly chickens.