My chickens are lazy?

[mj0]

I have at least 2 chickens who are laying their eggs while on the roost. Why on earth would they be doing this? Of course the crack open that's a big drop. Anyone have this happen?

*Ignore all the poop, but the pic is the 2 eggs this morning seen on my coop cam. (I put trays from dog crates as poop catchers at night and remove in the morning until I can get some roosts with poop trays built)

 

[rosemarythyme]

How old are they? How long have they been laying for?

(I've actually had quite a few eggs land off the roosts intact and usable, over a 3' drop down. No idea how that happens!)

 

[mj0]

How old are they? How long have they been laying for?

(I've actually had quite a few eggs land off the roosts intact and usable, over a 3' drop down. No idea how that happens!)

They are almost 26 weeks, been laying for a little over a month. Had one intact yesterday I was shocked

 

[rosemarythyme]

I expect young layers to have some kinks to work out, so this wouldn't be too unusual given their ages. How frequently do they lay off the roosts? Is it just once in a while?

Don't know if there's an actual fix for it, as layers should learn to hold in an egg until there's light and they can get to a nest box. To save eggs, some extra padding under the roosts could help for the short term.

 

[mj0]

I expect young layers to have some kinks to work out, so this wouldn't be too unusual given their ages. How frequently do they lay off the roosts? Is it just once in a while?

Don't know if there's an actual fix for it, as layers should learn to hold in an egg until there's light and they can get to a nest box. To save eggs, some extra padding under the roosts could help for the short term.

Just started happening this week but it's been every day.

 

[Sussex19]

With me that happens when there's some sort of issue, such as eggs with thin shells, and it happens at night when they can't get to the nesting box.
With young hens, there might be all kinds of little things causing problem that will sort themselves out. You could make sure that they've got enough calcium.

 

[aart]

Just started happening this week but it's been every day.

Did something change with the nests?

 

[musikfan]

I've never had mine lay anywhere but in or near the nesting boxes. But I always check in other places because you just never know when they are going to decide to lay somewhere else. I had one lay in between the nesting box and the wall of the coop - only a space of about maybe 6 inches in width, but I found an egg there one day....so I always check in the corners...

 

[Ridgerunner]

Egg laying is a pretty complicated process. That is not just putting the egg together properly but knowing when and where to lay it. To me it's surprising that so many get all these components right to start with. But every now and then I get one that doesn't. Usually they get their act together pretty quickly but sometimes it may take a week or two.

There are certain triggers that tell a hen when to start an egg through her internal egg making factory so it will be laid during daylight hours. Some of these involve light. Those triggers may not be working yet but it seems unusual for two to be having this problem. Do you have lights that are messing with the normal daylight hours? Some people may do that to extend laying hours or maybe you have a security light or street light that is shining in the coop. They do need dark downtime.

 

[mj0]

Did something change with the nests?

No, no change at all