Newly laying chickens laying EVERYWHERE!!!

[HennyJenny]

I have been having the same issue. Today, I happen to be at home so I've let the roosters out and left the hens in. The roosters are super annoyed but the hens are grateful for a day of rest and hopefully, they will go to the nest box. I have two newbies that have figured it out so far, I have about 10 more to go that are laying age. Judging by the number of eggs I'm finding in my yard - I better get another 10 eggs in there today. The top rooster is about to have a total conniption so the girls better get to it!

 

[blueskylen]

i leave mine in the coop and run until about 4 pm - they have all layed their eggs for the day by then. if i do happen to let them out early - they always head back to the coop to lay. maybe the nest boxes need to be a bit darker or curtained for them?

 

[MaKettle]

I'm so glad you asked this question! I only have 2 layers but it seems that my BO is only wanting to use 1 of the nest boxes, so if it is occupied or has another egg in it, she will not use it & lays in the run. I've had 1 cracked egg, from it hitting a brick that's in there. I thought maybe she was actually put off by the golf ball in the unused nest box, so I took it out. I'm at a total loss on what to do!

 

[pattgal]

Yeah i got my first egg last night too, lots of questions but I don't want to take over. there was no shell. it was in the nest but this morning I visited and it looks like one was dropped from the roost. i didn't make it but still no shell. i am wondering if it was the same hen that laid the egg

 

[harveyhorses]

Mine have started, two steadily, in the nest box. but one of them started yesterday, and laid her egg under the coop. She is the most timid of my girls, could it be a pecking order issue?
I had to enlarge my coop (o.k. bad planning on my part) but the nest boxes are in the same place. It does not matter now, because the coop is open, but come cool/cold weather will they figure it out if they are shut up?

 

[MTMom]

WOW!! Thanks everyone for your thoughts and suggestions! I really appreciate your help!

Yesterday I left my laying girls (the 7 oldest of the 23) in the coop until about 1:30. I also put a golf ball in each of the 8 nesting boxes. There was 1 egg in a nesting box

Then I let them out and kept a close eye on everyone. Well, my one who I found the first day sitting on 3 eggs under my deck was back under there again!! Fortunately she hadn't laid her egg yet so I gently walked her back to the coop/run. She went right to eating and drinking and I quickly ran a 10 minute errand. When I got back, there was an egg laying on the dirt in the run. Not quite what I had hoped for, but at least I didn't have to send one of my boys under the deck again to retrieve an egg! Today I decided to keep them cooped a little longer, and put the two girls who I know are laying locked by themselves in the coop. The one who is being a good girl laid 2 eggs in the nesting box (this is the second time she's done this!!!), and then about 4 o'clock I let them out into the run....well, Miss "under the deck layer" plopped hers out in the dirt again! She seems determined to not follow the rules.

 

[MTMom]

Here's a pic of my first egg!

 

[kateseidel]

My girls were going out around 7:00 a.m. - and my first eggs were laid in the hay barn. So I locked them in the coop/run for two days, and then only let them out around noon. They laid in their nest boxes for about a week, but today, all eggs were back in the hay barn and not until 1:00 or so. I can't say I really mind as long as I know where they are, and I can get to them, but oh those hens!! I only have 4/5 of 15 laying so far.

 

[MTMom]

So I let the girls out around 4 pm tonight. One or two were singing the 'egg laying song' around 6:30 pm. We first heard one in front of the house...quick went out to see if I could find where she may have laid...couldn't find any eggs...then about 5 minutes later one was doing the same thing at the back of the house...don't know for sure if it may have been the same girl or not. I can't find the eggs ANYWHERE!! These girls!!!

I think I may need to keep them in the coop/run 24/7 for a few days??

 

[Morgan7782]

Thanks for asking the question! It helps me as well. I have 5 hens, 3 are due to start laying anytime now, and I don't use a run. They are let out of the coop at 7-8am and are out in the yard all day until dusk. I was wondering if being free ranged would affect their knowlage of the nest boxes