Quote:
Lock them up for a couple of weeks until they figure out that the nesting box is the right spot.
If you have them locked up.... then where is the nesting box located ??
Is it in the coop? Is it above or below the roosts? How far off the ground is it?
FYI: I have a couple of hens who lay on the ground whenever there is a dominant hen or broody hen in the box running them of from the nesting area.
they have a coop with a large fenced area, the nesting boxes are in the coop. There is a broody hen who is sitting on 6 eggs (not laid by her) and I have seen one of the other hens try to join her in that particular nest box. There are 4 other boxes available. Because we have coyotes next door and a hawk which lives in a tree in the middle of our blueberry farm, I cannot let them roam totally free. So, should I just lock them in the coop?
Chances are they are still put out about being moved and getting use to their new surroundings. How long have you had them now?
They should figure it out...but then again I say this and I have a Barnevelder hen that will be 1.5 years old and she has only ever laid her egg in the nest box like 6 times. I wouldn't necessarily lock them up in the coop...if they do decide to get into a nest box they could upset the broody that is setting and we all know what upset broodies are like.
I would just leave them and let them work it out.
Lock them up for a couple of weeks until they figure out that the nesting box is the right spot.
If you have them locked up.... then where is the nesting box located ??
Is it in the coop? Is it above or below the roosts? How far off the ground is it?
FYI: I have a couple of hens who lay on the ground whenever there is a dominant hen or broody hen in the box running them of from the nesting area.
they have a coop with a large fenced area, the nesting boxes are in the coop. There is a broody hen who is sitting on 6 eggs (not laid by her) and I have seen one of the other hens try to join her in that particular nest box. There are 4 other boxes available. Because we have coyotes next door and a hawk which lives in a tree in the middle of our blueberry farm, I cannot let them roam totally free. So, should I just lock them in the coop?
Chances are they are still put out about being moved and getting use to their new surroundings. How long have you had them now?
They should figure it out...but then again I say this and I have a Barnevelder hen that will be 1.5 years old and she has only ever laid her egg in the nest box like 6 times. I wouldn't necessarily lock them up in the coop...if they do decide to get into a nest box they could upset the broody that is setting and we all know what upset broodies are like.
