Missing the mark

[chickymamma78]

I have 9 hens and all of the sudden a few are missing the nest. I have 4 nest boxes set up but came home to an egg in the run. How can I get them to drop their room n board payment in the nests??

 

[redsoxs]

More details please. You found one egg in the run is all? Or you're not finding eggs at all in the nest boxes!

 

[chickymamma78]

One in the run and at least one a day in the coop but not in the nest.

 

[redsoxs]

Hmmm. That's a puzzle. If the others are laying in the nest boxes, that should have shown the one that are laying on the coop floor and the other that lays in the run, where the eggs are supposed to be. If none were using the boxes I'd suggest fake "eggs" like golf balls be placed in the box to show them the proper place. If this is a sudden occurrence (if they had been using the boxes but now aren't) I'd say that either something scared them out of using the box, or something is more appealing outside than the next box itself. Other than that, I'm stumped. Sorry?

 

[aart]

Still more info needed.
How old are birds?
How long have they been laying?

Redsoxs offered good ideas.
Sometimes they just get too busy to get back to nests....or there's some ruckus going on.

 

[chickymamma78]

Red sex links-age is unknown, at least a year old
Mixed breed-age is 6.5 months. She has only been laying for a week and the others all year.

 

[aart]

If only laying for a week...it can take them a while to figure it out...fake eggs/golf balls in nest might help.
Older birds may not be laying if getting read to molt.