So my girls just started laying about a month ago... late bloomers, they were born in April. All of them have started to lay except my sickly one BeBe who seems to be perking up daily. Anyway we found an egg in the barn the other day and we guessed it was from someone's first lay and that it had been in there for a few weeks as the other girls have been consistent. Anyway my top layer is a RIR named Alabama and she doesn't miss a day. She has a schedule. She must leave the coop and eat breakfast first, then she will make a big show (because she is a huge diva) and go in the coop and lay an egg. She does this even if I sleep in by accident and don't open the coop until 9:30 or something like that! Yesterday my husband and I went outside and started to fill cracks in the coop and make it warmer but first we cleaned it out. I hadn't cleaned the nesting boxes hardly at all since they've been laying because they haven't been dirty. I cleaned one out entirely and the other two I took some straw out and put in a little new, attempting to keep the nest the way they had made it. Then we noticed nobody was laying in one of the boxes, probably because it wasn't as enclosed so we added a wall and we thought "There that'll make them so happy!" This morning I opened the door and out ran Alabama. I went about feeding everyone and getting the water out and noticed Alabama was not there. Later on she reappeared and I had a hunch so I checked the barn. Now this barn is not housing animals, it's not in fact pleasant, it really should be torn down, the only stuff in there is old farm junk and our motorcycles. She laid an egg next to a crappy old chair and some old chicken wire. Why would she do that? Here is this great, cozy egg box I just fixed up and she goes to the cold, damp barn! I have also noticed though she gets REALLY upset when other chickens are in there. The Silverlaced don't get upset at all but if she wants to lay an egg and someone is in one of the three egg boxes, she is ticked. She shrieks and makes noises until they are done laying and then gets in. I once put a hen in the coop when she was laying and she let out the angriest screech. Do I just have a little diva on my hands or what? How can I convince her to lay in the warm cozy coop again?
Generally the advice is to lock them in the coop for the first part of the day, til they have laid their eggs. Sounds like this wouldn't work very well with her. Personally, I'd just put a bunch of hay where she lays.
I took a little inspiration from the forum and put curtains on the boxes Three eggs laid in them so far today!
At least u know where she is laying . Make it cozy and u'll know where to find her eggs. Otherwise , lock her in til she lays for at least 3 days in a row in the coop.
