Laying on the floor

[NHchick19]

Hello everyone! This is my first time having chickens!! I love them! 5-7/13 gals started laying this weekend! They aren’t all laying every day but I’m noticing different eggs and have caught different ones in the act on the camera I have out there but I’m having a hard time meeting them straight. Anyways, one of them is laying on the floor of the coop! I have 4 nesting boxes which I think is enough for 13 chickens based on my research?! I have the fake eggs in the boxes too so they know where to go lay! Any tips on helping her to learn to lay in the box?! Thanks!

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Does she always lay in the same spot? I had a floor layer. I took a cardboard box and filled it with bedding, put it where she was laying and gradually moved the box closer to the nests. They all lay in one nest box now even though I have six and I only have 9 chickens haha

 

[NHchick19]

Does she always lay in the same spot? I had a floor layer. I took a cardboard box and filled it with bedding, put it where she was laying and gradually moved the box closer to the nests. They all lay in one nest box now even though I have six and I only have 9 chickens haha

She lays right near it!! By her food!!

 

[FC16]

Hello everyone! This is my first time having chickens!! I love them! 5-7/13 gals started laying this weekend! They aren’t all laying every day but I’m noticing different eggs and have caught different ones in the act on the camera I have out there but I’m having a hard time meeting them straight. Anyways, one of them is laying on the floor of the coop! I have 4 nesting boxes which I think is enough for 13 chickens based on my research?! I have the fake eggs in the boxes too so they know where to go lay! Any tips on helping her to learn to lay in the box?! Thanks!

Are your nesting boxes high up or low down? Also, are all the chickens the same size, just thinking maybe if it’s a smaller chicken and the boxes are high it might not be able to access it. And 4 boxes is definitely enough they often all try lay in the same one anyway

 

[NHchick19]

Are your nesting boxes high up or low down? Also, are all the chickens the same size, just thinking maybe if it’s a smaller chicken and the boxes are high it might not be able to access it. And 4 boxes is definitely enough they often all try lay in the same one anyway

They are using all the boxes pretty evenly! The one to the left the most but definitely all the boxes so I’m happy about that! They are this high lol. I didn’t know how to explain the height!

 

[FC16]

View attachment 3324597
They are using all the boxes pretty evenly! The one to the left the most but definitely all the boxes so I’m happy about that! They are this high lol. I didn’t know how to explain the height!

Yeah that is strange then that she’s laying on the floor

 

[Yardmom]

New layers don't always know what nesting boxes are. They sometimes just drop an egg whereever they are, or decide a place that you have not designated is a good place to put a nest. Luckily chickens like to lay where other chickens have layed. Continue to pick up her egg and eventually she will decide that was not a safe place to lay. She may then try the place the others have been laying.

 

[3KillerBs]

New layers frequently lay in odd places, especially if there are no adult hens teaching them where the good nests are.

They usually figure it out after a few weeks.

 

[NHchick19]

Yes!! No adult hens anywhere !! Hahaha they are all learning together !

 

[rosemarythyme]

If it continues and you can positively ID which bird is the issue, you can try placing her in the box right as she's looking to lay, but it's a bit difficult doing it that way because 1) you need to figure out which bird is it 2) you need to figure out her exact schedule and 3) she has to be easy enough to handle to pull it off (so she doesn't just panic). It does work but for most keepers that's a difficult ask.