Laying eggs from the perch

[LynnPin]

Hi,
Hoping someone has some advice to stop my lovely girl Maggie from laying her eggs from the perch every day (or on the days she lays). Throughout summer she was laying in the nesting boxes as do her 5 sisters, but about 2 months ago she started laying from the perch sometime early in the morning (I assume). She always roosts in the same spot so I have been doubling up the shavings underneath which saves the eggs about 50% of the time, but it is very frustrating to keep finding broken ones that have landed roughly or hit the wall on the way down. Is there anything I can do to stop this behaviour? Luckily none of the girls has discovered the broken eggs yet, and I scoop them out as soon as I can in the mornings, but I really want her to use the nesting boxes again and stop this practice. I appreciate it’s probably dark when she needs to lay - can her timing be reprogrammed? Thanks

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It is up to hens to learn how to hold the egg in until morning. I don't think you can make them do so. Generally it resolves after a few weeks. Do you offer oyster shells free choice? The calcium is necessary for good muscle control.

 

[LynnPin]

Thanks for your reply, yes the girls have shell grit and oyster shell grit offered daily. It’s been going on now for a couple of months, so I’m hoping as the days get lighter earlier in spring that it will resolve - perhaps that is the problem she either can’t or doesn’t want to hold on a bit before laying.

 

[aart]

Any changes in the flock when the roost laying started?
How old is she?

so I’m hoping as the days get lighter earlier in spring that it will resolve

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[LynnPin]

I am in Ocean View in Queensland Australia, we are in Winter at the moment (minimum temps around 4 degrees and still warm in the day time 25-26 degrees), so shorter days, but not dramatically shorter than summer days. Maggie is about a year old now, I got her at point of lay last August, and there have been no changes to coop conditions except the mornings being darker longer with the season.

 

[aart]

so shorter days, but not dramatically shorter than summer days.

3 hours difference between summer and winter solstice.
I'd just give it time....should improve as daylight increases.

 

[Perris]

is she going into molt? I have one that started laying soft shelled eggs from the roost as her molt started last year; the eggs stopped in due course and she completed the molt. She started laying normal eggs again at end December, and has laid well since, but she's started doing it again now and she's definitely started her (slow) molt, so I think they're connected. No one else in the flock has this issue so it's not diet, environment etc.