Nesting box troubles.

[RhapsodyOwens]

My girls all want to lay in the SAME nesting box. I have 8 nesting boxes to 6 hens and 15 pullets. I went outside today, and there were six eggs all in the same box. Any idea as to how to get them to lay in the other boxes? Maybe the fake eggs to place in the other boxes?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I keep a golf ball in every nest, yet they still want to lay in two or three nests. What you are seeing is not unusual at all.

 

[Jrose]

I've found that some of my hens make a habit of "shuffling" the eggs. Right now I only have 5 girls and 2 lay boxes, but if the eggs are split up between the two, I will mysteriously find them all shuffled into one neat pile later in the day.

 

[RhapsodyOwens]

Haha Jrose! Egg mover special! My nesting boxes are all separated and only connected by a perch, so that wouldn't end well if mine tried moving them. They just all love the box closest to the door! I hope the others grab different boxes by the time they are ready to lay,

 

[tatertot]

Iv got one who lays hers on the ground...any suggestions on how to get her to lay in the nest boxes? IV got plastic Easter eggs as dummys...help

 

[RhapsodyOwens]

What colors are the eggs? Also, if I slack off on nesting box material, my buff rock, Goldie, gets huffy and will make a nest out of the litter on the floor and lay her egg there. I would try putting more hay or pine shavings in the boxes.

 

[tatertot]

Problem solved..she laid her egg in the nest..I didn't Get a green egg today...do Easter eggers lay everyday or is it normal to miss a day or two? She laid her first yesterday...tiny little thing it was...wonder if it has a yoke

 

[tatertot]

Dummy eggs are pink blue dark green and camouflage

 

[RhapsodyOwens]

Glad she figured out the right spot to lay eggs! I was just wondering if maybe the egg colors were throwing them off. I was advised to use "normal" colors, but what's normal to an EE? Lol! Most EE, araucanas, and Ameraucanas take longer to start laying, and don't lay religiously

 

[tatertot]

My EES ARE 24 WEEKS..ONLY ONE LAYING OUT OF 4...REST OF THEM ARE PINK FACED..SORRY FOR THE CAPITAL LETTERS ..MY SPELL CORRECT IS INSAINE..