In short, if I don't intervene, what is the risk of some pullets not being able to "figure it out?" The problem: they can't seem to achieve the peace to lay. Will they become egg-bound, or suffer any other stress illness if they can't find peace? Or will they eventually just lay it, wherever that may be?
My tendency is that they will figure it out, but my roommate is helicopter-parenting big time, and insists that we quell every single hint of stress. It's not a competition between us; we just want the birds to be ok.
The cast: 19 week pullets, four laying (3 olive-eggers, 1 sapphire gem) out of 8 with one cockerel (18 weeks). Daytime high temps have been in the 70s, and food and water are kept fresh and plentiful. They are free to roam as far as they dare. 4x8 coop with 5 nests, 4x8 attached run that is usually open during daylight anyway.
Once the first egg was laid, it gradually developed into this scenario: They pace, pant, search, squawk, bother each other (the others seem curious), sit in the nesting boxes for awhile with no relief, etc... Based on research, I made the boxes private with curtains even, plus there's another box outside. We've tried closing the run door to lock the rest ouside so a pullet has the coop and boxes to herself. We let the cockerel in sometimes so he can show her where to lay. My roommate brought two inside and now they frantically try to come in and will only lay inside in complete silence. At least they're laying, so we'll worry about that later, I guess.
But the other two can't get settled outside. One had a series of soft eggs and even a double soft egg attached by a membrane tube. She's the most frantic squawker. The other hasn't laid in a few days, and some others are starting to show signs of laying soon.
I know it all sounds like normal growing pains, but what is the wisdom on how much to intervene here? Any suggestions?
Thank you thank you thank you!
My tendency is that they will figure it out, but my roommate is helicopter-parenting big time, and insists that we quell every single hint of stress. It's not a competition between us; we just want the birds to be ok.
The cast: 19 week pullets, four laying (3 olive-eggers, 1 sapphire gem) out of 8 with one cockerel (18 weeks). Daytime high temps have been in the 70s, and food and water are kept fresh and plentiful. They are free to roam as far as they dare. 4x8 coop with 5 nests, 4x8 attached run that is usually open during daylight anyway.
Once the first egg was laid, it gradually developed into this scenario: They pace, pant, search, squawk, bother each other (the others seem curious), sit in the nesting boxes for awhile with no relief, etc... Based on research, I made the boxes private with curtains even, plus there's another box outside. We've tried closing the run door to lock the rest ouside so a pullet has the coop and boxes to herself. We let the cockerel in sometimes so he can show her where to lay. My roommate brought two inside and now they frantically try to come in and will only lay inside in complete silence. At least they're laying, so we'll worry about that later, I guess.
But the other two can't get settled outside. One had a series of soft eggs and even a double soft egg attached by a membrane tube. She's the most frantic squawker. The other hasn't laid in a few days, and some others are starting to show signs of laying soon.
I know it all sounds like normal growing pains, but what is the wisdom on how much to intervene here? Any suggestions?
Thank you thank you thank you!
They'll work it out.
