Nasty Girls! Eggs on the Poop Board, Aargh!!!

[Pater est Pullis]

I find two to three eggs daily on the poop board, I'm at my wits end trying to break the culprits of this, I'm at the point now I'm considering the stock pot for the offenders.

Background; 11 Isa Browns, 30 weeks old.

Before I installed poop board, the same (as of yet to be identified) hen's would lay eggs, directly under roost bars, in the doo. I temporarily stopped this by placing buckets in their favorite spots. Thought I had it solved, removed buckets, started again. Installed poop board, filled with 1/2 inch PDZ, figuring if they want to lay on the floor, more power to them, no dice, eggs on the poop board!

I installed corner moulding strips, over the exposed lengths of the board, hoping to discourage the layers. Nope, didn't help, then I read a thread saying perhaps they were dropping eggs at night. This seemed a possibility, I had found an egg or two that appeared to have impact cracks.

I was copacetic with this, however, when I was cleaning the board I found chicken tracks in the PDZ, between the strips and roost bars, nasty, nasty, girls! So my next step was to cut out some spare 2x4 fencing (figuring won't get too messy, it doesn't), laid it over the raised border of the board (placing it 4 inches below the roost bar). Nope, still laying eggs on the poo.

My current resolution was to raise the fencing to the bottom of the roost bar, so it's now 8 inches above the bottom. Here are the results.

Please help me...

 

[kitkat5505]

I had one who would do that. I finally took a board and completely blocked off the roosts and poop board during the day so she had to lay elsewhere (usually in a nest box or corner of the coop). After a few weeks I stopped and she occasionally would lay on the poop board but mostly uses the nest boxes. It’s actually been probably a month since she’s laid one up there.

 

[BYCforlife]

I'm sorry you're having problems. Do you have ceramic eggs in your nesting boxes?

Once in a while I find an egg under my roost, but not very often. It's normally on a day where one hen sits in their favorite nesting box all day.

Have you tried puck board at an angle so the hen slips off when she tries to lay there?

 

[orrpeople]

Yes, blocking their access to the roots during the day might be a good first step.
Secondly, check your nesting box situation. Birds are fairly particular that they can feel secluded and out of the light, see inside the box from the floor, and have nesting materials that are clean and comfortable. What do your nesting boxes look like?

 

[Pater est Pullis]

I'm sorry you're having problems. Do you have ceramic eggs in your nesting boxes?

Once in a while I find an egg under my roost, but not very often. It's normally on a day where one hen sits in their favorite nesting box all day.

Have you tried puck board at an angle so the hen slips off when she tries to lay there?

Ceramic eggs were a godsend, definitely helped the others learn to use nest boxes.

 

[Pater est Pullis]

Yes, blocking their access to the roots during the day might be a good first step.
Secondly, check your nesting box situation. Birds are fairly particular that they can feel secluded and out of the light, see inside the box from the floor, and have nesting materials that are clean and comfortable. What do your nesting boxes look like?

Six of my girls use these boxes.

Two or three prefer these. Note the Aart inspired entrances, the rest will eventually be outfitted as well.

 

[Pater est Pullis]

I had one who would do that. I finally took a board and completely blocked off the roosts and poop board during the day so she had to lay elsewhere (usually in a nest box or corner of the coop). After a few weeks I stopped and she occasionally would lay on the poop board but mostly uses the nest boxes. It’s actually been probably a month since she’s laid one up there.

Good Idea, I'll give it a try.

 

[RWise]

With young girls I will get some from time to time on the coop/roost floor. These are dropped at night, they will get it down,, I had one girl that would spend the night on her nest once or twice a week, always an egg in the morning. She had learned she was going to lay and put it where it belonged.

 

[theoldchick]

At 30 weeks they are still working out the kinks in their egg maker. This is a common problem among pullets and usually resolves with age. Things to consider are flock dynamics: lower ranked pullets will be forced to lay elsewhere if a higher ranked hen is using the favorite nesting box. Apparently in the chicken world only one nest box will work for certain hens. Give them time, they will figure out what to do.

 

[Pater est Pullis]

At 30 weeks they are still working out the kinks in their egg maker. This is a common problem among pullets and usually resolves with age. Things to consider are flock dynamics: lower ranked pullets will be forced to lay elsewhere if a higher ranked hen is using the favorite nesting box. Apparently in the chicken world only one nest box will work for certain hens. Give them time, they will figure out what to do.

Good call, so far, so good, second 10 egg day, only one in the poo, each day. Better than 2-3 messy eggs, tomorrow will tell, should be an 11 egg day.