Laying OUTSIDE of nesting boxes

[mamatink7]

Occasionally we will get a girl drop her egg on coop floor. Trying to stop that, but no reason for them to (they know about nesting boxes and all have laid in them).
However, we spotted an EE egg UNDER the coop inside run area this afternoon. This hasn't happened before and not sure why it did or how to stop it. EE are usually the ones to lay on coop floor as well.
Thanks for any ideas

 

[redsoxs]

Hens will lay where they are most comfy. I'd suggest fluffing up the next boxes and maybe even removing whatever bedding you have on the coop floor for a few days to make the boxes more inviting. That's my best guess. Good luck to you!

 

[mamatink7]

Hens will lay where they are most comfy. I'd suggest fluffing up the next boxes and maybe even removing whatever bedding you have on the coop floor for a few days to make the boxes more inviting. That's my best guess. Good luck to you!

thank you! I put a soft mat into each box today to prevent eggs from cracking and make boxes more comfy too. I also use nesting box herbs and straw as bedding. Hoping this helps solve our chickadee issue

 

[aart]

Does the EE ever lay in the nests?
How many birds for how many nests?
Are any of these birds newer layers?
Has the pad and bedding changed lately?
Do you have any major pecking order issues within the flock?

Pis of your nests might help us spot something.
I use fake eggs/golf balls in all my nests all the time....I think it helps 'spread the love' and can help reduce the 'favorite nest' traffic jam.

 

[mamatink7]

Does the EE ever lay in the nests? yes the easter eggers (3) do use boxes
How many birds for how many nests? 7 BOXES FOR 15-19 LAYERS
Are any of these birds newer layers? NO EE AREN'T NEWER LAYERS, ALL LAYERS BEEN LAYING OVER 1.5 WEEKS
Has the pad and bedding changed lately? YES, WAS PUTTING TOOL BOX MATTING INTO EACH BOX AS EGGS WERE GETTING CRACKS DUE TO GIRLS SCRATCHING STRAW AWAY. (I THINK THIS IS WHY SHE DROPPED OUTSIDE AS THEY'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE)
Do you have any major pecking order issues within the flock?YES, WE DO THIS WEEK AS WE'RE ADDING THE LITTLE ONES TO THE COOP. BUT NOTHING MAJOR TILL LAST NIGHT AND 2WKS AGO WHEN ADDED 1ST LO.

Pis of your nests might help us spot something.I WILL ADD PICS TODAY. THX
I use fake eggs/golf balls in all my nests all the time....I think it helps 'spread the love' and can help reduce the 'favorite nest' traffic jam.I HAVE USED CERAMIC EGGS EVERY DAY SINCE 1ST LAID EGG AS, YES IT DOES HELP. EE JUST ARE MORE FINICKY AND LESS PATIENT SO THAT'S WHY THEY WERE ONLY ONES EVER TO DROP EGG ONTO FLOOR.

responded in your response thank you. I'll send pics today to share and hopefully get answers. Today was a first soft egg (open and empty) and I believe it was a first egg from someone. 1st day with baby buff in there so we'll see how it goes.

 

[aart]

1.5 weeks laying is still a newer layer, IMO, as it can take up to a month or so for things to really smooth out.
They can make a mess scratching out bedding at first..... digging to China...haha!
I like to use a nice thick flake of straw 'bowled' out a bit, as it's a bit harder for them to sctrah thru and leaves anough bedding in the nest to cushion the egg dropping. down
A change in bedding can really throw them off the nests....they don't like change.

 

[mamatink7]

1.5 weeks laying is still a newer layer, IMO, as it can take up to a month or so for things to really smooth out.
They can make a mess scratching out bedding at first..... digging to China...haha!
I like to use a nice thick flake of straw 'bowled' out a bit, as it's a bit harder for them to sctrah thru and leaves anough bedding in the nest to cushion the egg dropping. down
A change in bedding can really throw them off the nests....they don't like change.

ahh thank you. Yeah the straw bedding works for all the girls but australorps. 1 BA choose to stand up to pop her egg out. Today is much better-so far. So all this will just take time to even itself out?

 

[aart]

Quote: Pretty much, yeah....probably.
New layers can be a PITA....digging in nests, a cacophony of vocalizations, eggs all over the place - some of them very funky.

 

[mamatink7]

Pretty much, yeah....probably.
New layers can be a PITA....digging in nests, a cacophony of vocalizations, eggs all over the place - some of them very funky.

ok have another issue...this new girl in the coop-soon to be with the last 2 girls-is having an awful time. She won't get the water from nipple waterer and is terrified to come around the others. When will this pass? They are all (minus the Wyandotte who still gets chased in the run) great in the run, but not so great in together in the coop. The LO have to be in coop by end of this week or latest next week. I'm doing everything possible to help and it seems to be wrong.

 

[aart]

How big is coop....in feet by feet?
How many birds total?
Time line of who was added and when?

Multiple feed/water stations always helps with integrating new birds.
Space is probably tighter in the coop, so more stress with pecking order activities...less room to get away.

It can take while for everyone to get along without overt pecking, but pecking of lower status birds will always happen.