Nest boxes and laying

[gjoyner]

My ladies roost at night in their coop, their nest boxes are in their too. They havent started laying yet because they are only 13 weeks. In the mornings they are all out in the run waiting for me to open the door so they can free-range in the yard. They rarely ever go back into the run or climb the ladder into the coop unless they are putting themsleves to bed. I was wondering how they will learn to lay in the nest boxes if they are really never around them? We have golf balls in the boxes. Any ideas? Or will they just naturally know to go in there.? Cuz there are alot of dark hiding places in the yard they could lay in. Should I set up some little nesting places in the yard?

 

[gumpsgirl]

When it comes time for them to start laying, it would be best to leave them locked in (no free ranging) until the get used to laying in the nesting boxes. If you don't, you will end up on an Easter egg hunt daily.

 

[gjoyner]

How long do you suggest leaving them locked in?
Also, does that mean they must be locked into the coop NO run or is the run ok?

 

[Judy]

I would certainly not lock them in the coop now. You may never need to. Most likely, they will return to the nest boxes to lay, when the time comes. Even if they lay a few eggs in the run when they do start, they might well figure out that the nest boxes are better in a couple of weeks or so. Please don't lock the poor things up when laying is still several weeks away.

They like a private and sheltered place to lay. Usually they will all use nest boxes within a week or two of starting to lay. It takes them a while to sort it out. Just think how you would feel if an egg suddenly popped out of your rear end. It has to be a surprise to them, too.

Is their feeder in the coop? I have a free range flock who always lay in the nest boxes in the coop, but they return to the coop throughout the day because that is where their feed is.

 

[gumpsgirl]

I did not mean to leave them locked in the coop now.

I was merrily saying that once they reach the point of lay, it would be good to leave them locked in the coop / run area for a week so they can get used to using the nesting boxes. It has been my experience that when they first start to lay, they drop the eggs off where it is convenient. This does not prove to be true, however, if you currently have chickens that are laying. They seem to be pretty good at following the leader! BUT, if you do not have any chickens that are laying, it's best to keep them from free ranging (the run area is fine) until they get used to laying in the nesting boxes otherwise they will learn to lay in other places around the yard.

 

[2DogsFarm]

hey gumpsgirl;

I have one who is nearing POL - she squats whenever I come near her and this morning was investigating one of the nest boxes (which are "salted" with fake wooden eggs).

The other 4 are not nearly as ready as she is, so I am wondering if I s/b confining them all in the coop until she lays.
My yard is not fenced yet so I can't restrict them to coop & yard, just coop

.

They spend most of the day in there anyhow as I work.
Freerange time is limited to 1/2 hour in the morning & another 1/2 hour in the evening when I'm home.
They don't roam too far from the coop, so I could check their usual haunts for eggs before putting everyone on lockdown.

Thoughts?
suggestions?

 

[plowbouy]

Surprise to us.. we got our first egg at 16 weeks + 1 day and are getting more daily from our 26 girls. They are placing them perfectly in the nester boxes each time. They roam outside the coop during the day too.. and locked up at night.

A few days earlier, we just got some broiler peeps in and put them in a "partitioned off" area in the 16x16 coop. I think the peeping of the broilers arroused the mother instinct of the layers and caused them to go into laying mode early..

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
If their free range time isn't more than that, then I wouldn't confine them to the coop because of laying. Go ahead and give them their normal amount of free range time. I don't see them laying outside the coop in that little amount of time.

 

[gjoyner]

I knew what you ment about locking them in. I didnt think right now..jsut when they started laying. They free range since like 7am to 7pm. Their feed is in the run adn they haave some in the coop, adn some in the yard. I was confused as to what everyone was saying. If they dont freerange dont lock them in the run when they start laying?? or..if they do free range lock them in the run when they start laying.
could someone clarify a bit.
thanks

 

[Metanoia]

I have one who is nearing POL - she squats whenever I come near her and this morning was investigating one of the nest boxes (which are "salted" with fake wooden eggs).

I have one that squats when I pat her or go to pick her up. None of the other 6 do it, and I think they are a couple more weeks from laying. I just think that is her and it is some kind of "submission" action. I don't know why she started doing it. Does anyone know why?​