Laying Eggs in the Coop in the early morning

[Elizpeace]

Hi all!
I am hoping someone on here can give me a few suggestions. I have 5 hens, and the oldest started laying eggs last week. She's great about laying in the same nesting box every time. But I went out to open the coop up yesterday morning (around 6:30am) and found a small egg in the middle of floor of the coop! I thought it was a one off thing, and didn't think much of it, until I found another one this morning, in a similar location, and broken

I don't know who is laying the egg.

Any ideas for how to get her to use the nesting box? It's filled and fluffed with nesting pads, and there are curtains up. Do I need to open the coop earlier than 6:30am?

I do have a potential other issue in that they don't like roosting in the coop and are often laying in the sand instead of on the perches.

Maybe that's the issue? Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you! Elizabeth

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Sand should not be tempting to lay in. How high are your nest boxes? Have you tried using a 'dummy' egg?

 

[Chickassan]

Your girls are young and don't have control over when and where they lay yet.Sometimes they even may lay in their sleep. They roost thing they will catch on to it, just give them time.

 

[Elizpeace]

Sand should not be tempting to lay in. How high are your nest boxes? Have you tried using a 'dummy' egg?

I was going to get some dummy eggs today! Thanks for the suggestion

Your girls are young and don't have control over when and where they lay yet.Sometimes they even may lay in their sleep. They roost thing they will catch on to it, just give them time.

Thank you I was hoping it was just a maturity thing. I will give it some time.

 

[cmom]

I use golf balls. For the most part they will lay in the nest boxes. When they first start laying the eggs are usually small but get larger as they continue to lay and they may lay on the floor, in their run and sometimes when they roost. I have several coops and do move birds around depending on the season. I breed and raise some different breeds. When I move the females to another coop and pen sometimes they will lay outside in the pen. Eventually they will give it up and lay in the nest boxes. A golf ball or fake egg should help. Often times several birds will lay in one nest box. Sometimes they try to hide their eggs.

 

[Elizpeace]

Just thought I'd give an update. Since 7/19, I've had a total of 19 eggs either in the run or in the coop when I first go out in the morning (between 6 and 7am). 11 of them have been broken. I've put wooden fake eggs in the nesting boxes, but I don't think it made a difference. I'm lost as to what to do...

 

[lazy gardener]

What are you feeding them? Are the shells strong? Usually, pullet egg shells are very strong. so if you have a flock that is all pullets, and most of them are broken, I wonder if your shells are weak.

How big is your coop? and run? (dimensions) What are you using in the nest boxes for bedding? What is the interior dimension of the nest boxes? L x W x H? Can you show a pic of the nest boxes?

 

[Elizpeace]

Four of my five hens are laying eggs in the nesting boxes, and they are not broken. And when the eggs are broken from the one that is laying in the coop/run, the shell is hard, I just think it gets stepped on in the coop since it is "layed" early in the morning (before 6am). (i.e. I don't think it's a soft shelled egg).

I use nesting pads in the nest boxes. I'd have to get you the dimensions, but there are 3 nesting boxes for my 5 hens.

Thanks!