Laying from roost???

[rhoda_bruce]

I have been lucky in convincing my pullets what the nesting boxes were for, until recently. For about a week now I have been finding 2 eggs a day in the roost....ground level. Of course, they are filthy, but uncracked. I talked it over with DH and we decided to go in extra early and empty the roosting room and lock them out. That only worked once. Yesterday he reports to me that he locked them out, before daylight, but that he saw 2 eggs that must have been layed at night, which were on the ground.
I don't mind washing them, but I'm 5'9" and can't fit under the rungs of the roost very easily, due to not being a spring chicken myself anymore. So I have to start removing them, until I get close enough to grab the egg with a dip net. I don't see a solution to my problem, but I am hoping there is a solution. So go ahead........any suggestions?

 

[NoraWI]

When pullets start laying I occasionally find what I call "oops eggs" under the roost. They are laid at night and are unintentional... probably just slip out. Be patient. The hens will gain better control of their laying and will use the nests.

 

[augustmomx2]

One of my EEs (whom I consider "special") lays from the roost for all of her eggs. She often lays very early in the morning when all the chickens are still in the coop. Since she is @ the bottom of the pecking order, my guess is that the other girls don't allow her in the nesting boxes or she's too afraid to even try

I just make the area under their roost extra "soft" with additional shavings and of course, lots of their poop