Multiple Eggs In One Nest?

[Chandice]

This is my first time having chickens, and i couldnt find anything about this that realted exactly to whats going on, so forgive me if this is repetitive...
Im not sure how many of my chickens are laying or who exactly is doing the laying. I have found eggs in random places around the yard(they are free range), like they stopped just long enough to lat and kept going. I also found a nest yesterday while hunting down a missing hen, who was sitting on about 11 eggs. So im wondering if this could be a community nest because surely this one has not laid that many herself, because im sure that nest has not been there long enough for that. Also, how do I coax my girls into laying in the nesting boxes rather than around the yard? The one who was sitting on the nest of eggs is terrified of the coop for some reason and will not go in on her own. She wont even go in at night. So I'm not sure how to get her in there either.

I apologize if these are silly questions but I don't know what to do!

 

[junebuggena]

This is my first time having chickens, and i couldnt find anything about this that realted exactly to whats going on, so forgive me if this is repetitive... Im not sure how many of my chickens are laying or who exactly is doing the laying. I have found eggs in random places around the yard(they are free range), like they stopped just long enough to lat and kept going. I also found a nest yesterday while hunting down a missing hen, who was sitting on about 11 eggs. So im wondering if this could be a community nest because surely this one has not laid that many herself, because im sure that nest has not been there long enough for that. Also, how do I coax my girls into laying in the nesting boxes rather than around the yard? The one who was sitting on the nest of eggs is terrified of the coop for some reason and will not go in on her own. She wont even go in at night. So I'm not sure how to get her in there either. I apologize if these are silly questions but I don't know what to do!

If they are new to the environment, or new to laying, it may be necessary to 'coop train' them. Birds that are new to a coop need to learn that the coop is home. It's recommended to confine the flock for at least a couple of days with a run. Once everyone is accustomed to roosting in the coop, then you can start free ranging.
If you have new layers, keeping a few dummy eggs in the nest boxes can help show them where to put those eggs. If you have adult hens that have developed a habit of hiding eggs, then it may be necessary to keep them inside the coop, at least for the morning, until the habit of laying in the nest boxes is re-established.

 

[Chandice]

If they are new to the environment, or new to laying, it may be necessary to 'coop train' them. Birds that are new to a coop need to learn that the coop is home. It's recommended to confine the flock for at least a couple of days with a run. Once everyone is accustomed to roosting in the coop, then you can start free ranging.
If you have new layers, keeping a few dummy eggs in the nest boxes can help show them where to put those eggs. If you have adult hens that have developed a habit of hiding eggs, then it may be necessary to keep them inside the coop, at least for the morning, until the habit of laying in the nest boxes is re-established.

It is their first year laying, they are roughly 8 mos old.I've had them since they were young pullets . When I first got them they were confined to the coop and run for 2 weeks or so. They did well with free ranging and cooping themselves at night. For some reason now they will roost in the tree above the coop instead of in it. I may just have to coop them and clip their wings again until they are trained again. I know the one who was sitting on her eggs in the nest was definitely hiding but she hasn't moved though I have raided the nest. I'm not sure if maybe there are other nests in the pasture but I haven't found any in the yard. And also when they do lay in the coop they lay on the floor and refuse the nesting boxes.

 

[Pork Pie]

Firstly, there's no such thing as a silly question. We were not born with an innate knowledge of how to raise chickens

New layers often are a little confused as to where to lay at first - I had one at used to lay in an outdoor sink in the baking sun! You may wish to consider keeping your layers in the coop on a morning time (it's when they typically lay) in addition to the good advice from other members.

Good luck

Ct