Laying from the roost

[Martlet]

I'm not sure which chickens are doing it, but at least 2 are laying from the roost. Half the time they break, which obviously drives me nuts. Is there any way to get them to start using the box like the others?

I have Wyandottes, NH Reds, Barred Rocks, and an Easter Egger. It's obviously not the EE. The rest of the other eggs are light brown and dark brown. It's only the dark brown eggs, but I'm still not sure which hens are laying them. All the birds are the same age (almost 6 months) and have recently begun laying.

 

[chickens really]

Can not see your set up? If getting startled in the morning they will drop eggs before they get off the roost . Young Birds systems also need to workout the kinks?

Cheers

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They need to get used to the sensations and what it means, they also need to develop the ability to hold the egg in, most pullets need a few weeks for things to regulate and for the pullet to get used to what is going on. I'm surprised how often things go right in such a complicated system.

 

[aart]

What are your nests like?
Are they easy to get in/up to and out.down from?
Can you post a pic of your nests?

Using fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help really, especially if there are no older layers in the flock.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

Dp you have fake eggs you leave in nest? That really worked for me when my hens started laying on the floor.

 

[Martlet]

What are your nests like?
Are they easy to get in/up to and out.down from?
Can you post a pic of your nests?

Using fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help really, especially if there are no older layers in the flock.

I have nesting boxes with small roosts attached to the front. The other hens aren't having issues getting up to them. I don't think it's the boxes themselves. I feel if the boxes were unreachable for them they would lay on the coop floor or in the corners. Some of my older hens in another coop lay on the floor, but it's a smaller coop. These girls just let them drop from the roosts either at night or early morning.

I have a few ceramic eggs in the boxes.

 

[lazy gardener]

They're still "in training". It will take them a while to get things figured out. I've seen a pullet "drop and egg" when she was standing at the water bucket. Totally unaware that she was having an egg fall out of her butt till after it happened.

 

[BarbiD]

I have one pullet that periodically lays from the roost. It IS so frustrating LOL! She does lay in the nesting box and that's where I found her this morning when I opened the run. So...I think when it does happen from the roost, she is not awake yet? She's been laying since early August and one would think she's worked out the kinks...but who knows?