Laying in the barn?

[Twisted Acres]

I just walked into my barn and looked in the corner of my stall there there were 3 eggs in a nest. My chickens know where there coop is (eat, drink, lay, and roost in there). She wasnt near them. I do let them run around the pasture (for the last year) and this is the first time this has happend. Why do you think this is?

 

[joedie]

Mine used to always lay in their nests but over time free ranging, they lay in groups in various places, hay mow, next to bales, in stalls. It has turned into an egg hunt on a daily basis. One time I found 47 eggs in the haystack! I guess I could control it by keeping them in the coop and run but what the heck....

 

[Twisted Acres]

So, Should I leave them there incase she starts setting?

 

[Fierlin1182]

It happens all the time, especially if you let your chickens roam about. I do too, and the eggs are always turning up in the oddest places. It should be okay if you remove the eggs, the chickens will lay pretty much anywhere they want. If they like that spot in the barn, they'll go back to it.

It might be because they think there's more privacy there than in the coop, or more comfortable. Could be for any reason. But if the chickens free range, expect to find some eggs turning up in weird places.

 

[joedie]

So, Should I leave them there incase she starts setting?

I pick them up every day because I don't want mine setting. My broodies are always sitting in the nesting boxes anyway. I did have two chicks hatch last year in the hay stack. The hen was hiding and I didn't know it but I had to take the babies because two hens were fighting over who would mother them

 

[Twisted Acres]

I would like them to hatch some out

 

[joedie]

I would like them to hatch some out

If you just found them sitting there, I doubt you have a broody. She'll only get up to get food/drink. So any I find are picked up or you'll find yourself with an even larger pile sitting there wasted. Best bet, get a bator and hatch all you want.

 

[Twisted Acres]

Thank you very much

 

[piglett]

chickens in the barn can be bad....hen lice
the lice can stay in the barn for up to 50 years
and any animal you (or the next owner of your place) put in the barn will get lice
bad bad bad , try to figure out a way to keep those hens out of there



piglett

 

[twandx]

Hen lice breakout this winter - no barn involved. They were in well ventilated hen house, same as years before. I tend to think it was the weird winter with colder days giving way to thaws over and over instead of the usual steady freeze up with a brief thaw or two in Vermont. Have tried some of the newer green cleaners and sprays but nothing works very well except Orange Guard. Best at getting rid of lice though is Deep woods Off which is a chemical and decidedly not green.

As others have noted, egg production has dropped off this winter.