newbie chicken owner

[drumstick diva]

 

[Cynthia12]

Hi everyone!
Just started raising Organic layers last year and happily my girls layed all winter long, they are now about a yr old and I am experiencing a broody hen whom I have put into iso for a couple of days and all is well. My problem is the rest of the hens decided to start laying elsewhere in the barn hay and also in their boxes. I had originally had 4 boxes for 6 hens and they tended to gather all in one box, so to make more room in the coop I took 2 boxes out and it was going ok until the broody hen started. So I added another box - hopefully that will work. I put hay in it to imitate the barn atmosphere? Is it possible for them to be retrained to lay back inthe coop?

Another thing I noticed is one of my barred rocks is much smaller than the other hens , she is one who used to run with another RIR since they were chicks but now she is a loner and I noticed when I hold her and stroke her left side of her face and neck she seems to be headshy and her eyes close could she have any vision issues from a possible pecking problem?

thanks for any input you have available!!

Laurie

I use golf balls. I am currently waiting for a new gal to start laying..so, I have two golf balls in two different boxes. And of course..the older gals, want the next boxes..with the golf balls. Another great thing they do for chicken owners is..it can keep a hen that is tempted to peck at an egg, then get a taste of egg, to be deterred from doing this.. a hard gold ball..not tasty at all!

And, your Barred Rock closes her eyes when you hold her up to you? Try that with a couple of other hens..most will close their eyes, they must think if they close their eyes, then you will go away. The ones that really don't like being held will do this...chicks do this also. Kind of cute.