Laying eggs in poop

[mswag]

I have one chicken who lays her egg each morning under the roost in the run, where my 5 chickens have been pooping all night. Now that it's dipped below freezing at night, they get tucked away into the coop without access to the outside run. I was hoping this new location would prompt her to try the nest box but she still chooses to lay her egg in the middle of the new poop pile inside. Ewe. My other 3 active layers all use nest box but for whatever reason this one chooses poop. Help. How do I fix this?!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How many boxes do you have, are there fake eggs in the nests, and is this a bottom of the pecking order hen, my guess would be there's not enough nests or your coop isn't big enough so she hides to lay, and some hens just like ground level nests, so perhaps providing one might help.

 

[mswag]

I have 5 hens and two boxes. I do have fake eggs in the nests. I've never caught her laying so I'm not sure who it is.. I have it narrowed down to two girls. One of them is the lowest or 2nd lowest pecking order, the other is the bully. The roost outside in the run is about 5 ft above ground- so she isn't "hiding" under anything?! I did just put my third nesting box on the floor of the coop tonight to see if that helps. There is a ton of space in the coop and run- yet she chooses to lay on ( or very near) the poop piles. Maybe I need some fake turds in the nest to lure her in! Haha. Thanks for the reply

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Funny, one other question, are they beginner layers, sometimes it take a month or so for some of them to figure it out, some of my first timers have been known to just poop the egg out, they don't know or don't care about what's going on until they start feeling more mature.

 

[mswag]

Yes. The she just started laying about a month ago. I have wondered, on occasion if she may have pooped it out from the roost.. But they've all been intact. I would think falling 5ft might crack a few.. Hmmm?

 

[aart]

If she's low hen she may be being bullied away from the nests?

I had one pullet who wouldn't lay in nest with fake egg...until I took it out.
So maybe leave one nest without fake egg?

Tho after a month you'd think she'd have figured it out.......some sit in the coop for a few hours observation time may be in order, see what's going on out there.

 

[mswag]

One other thing to note.. She lays this egg sometime during the night or early morning hours. I went out today at sunrise and they egg was already cold. Other mornings I've gone out before dawn to try and catch her in the act and the egg has already been laid and no longer warm.

 

[aart]

One other thing to note.. She lays this egg sometime during the night or early morning hours. I went out today at sunrise and they egg was already cold. Other mornings I've gone out before dawn to try and catch her in the act and the egg has already been laid and no longer warm.

She may be unable to get into a nest, then 'loses' it when roosting?
Maybe go out late at night, a few hours after dark and check?
Not sure that will tell you anything other than maybe which bird is laying it.