MY HENS WENT ON STRIKE!!!

[mcguires]

I found a few nest around the yard from my free ranging hens. So now I have confined them to the coops it's been three days and 3 different coops and no eggs. Not sure if they are just messing with me or what but this is crazy. I also did this to see who is laying what. I put eggs in there today from some other hens hoping they will get the Idea. Any suggestions? I figure they cant go on strike forever.

 

[aart]

They are probably stressed a bit from being confined after having free range.....give it time, could take a week or more.
How old are the detainees?

 

[mcguires]

They are all about 7 months old.

 

[aart]

Hopefully they have plenty of room in their coop/run 'prisons'....for longer confinement.


Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for 3-4 days (or longer) can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop 24/7 for a few days to a week, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

@aart gave food advice already.

I have 1 girl on strike right now as well after I blocked off a bush where 2 were laying. 1 who originally laid in the box has gone back to laying in the box.

Those fake eggs are great, 2 of my new layers have started laying in the box with no training and 1 acre of range to hide nests in. I like that they can go in and check it out. I see them gently rolling the eggs around as they are coming in to lay. And no fear of leaving real eggs and having them accidentally break and have their yummy insides discovered by all the little velociraptors eager to eat everything in sight.

Good luck!

 

[carlf]

How large is the run the coop(s) is (are) attached to? And how many birds in the flock?

Two approaches to take:
Put nest boxes out in the yard where the previously laid.

Or if you have an adequately sized run & coop to keep them in, keep them locked up until they are trained to use the nest boxes in the coop.
Do you have fake eggs in the nest boxes in the coop?

 

[mcguires]

Yes I have eggs and golf balls I put new bedding in the nest boxes. I use a 5 gallon bucket for my biefelder hens hoping it's big enough.But to answer your question I have 10 in a 12x5 area then 5 biefelders in a 8x5 area. Then 10 In a 10x10 coop.

 

[mcguires]

I did get one biefelder egg on the floor yesterday so I'm on the right track.