No eggs in nest and now I know why

[Carolyn]

My DH built a nice house with nesting boxes and roost for my 7 hens and 1 roo. First of all they would go lay in the nesting boxes but roost in the run even in the cold or rain. (dumb clucks). I finally got that problemo solved and now....

They gradually have quit laying in the nests and are laying on the ground up under the roost in the house. No one is broody and they are all using the same area.

DH came up with his own plan for the house and built it to keep predators out....including me. The only way in is use a ladder (he left the top so it can be opened) but the ground is soggy and that would hardly be safe.

Do I:
1. Tell hubby off for not putting in a door (no, he gets great Christmas gifts and he's not thru shopping.)
2. Rent a broody hen
3. Hire a midget to get thru the chick's door.
4. Have lots of chickens for Christmas dinner and forget how much I like fresh eggs.

 

[lizardz]

I say make Hubby retrieve the eggs. Once he realizes his plan doesn't work, he'll have to figure out how to make it work. Should keep him out of trouble for hours, maybe days! Good luck!
Liz

 

[swtangel321]

LOL, this would be why us women have to tell our hubbys how to do things !! SO THEY ARE DONE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME !!!!

Mine builds for a living and I still keep an eye on what he does when he's near the coop !!

 

[FrChuckW]

Quote:
I agree with Liz on this one, let him gather the eggs a few times in the cold and wet and he will figure out that he needs to put in a door and block under the coop for a while so that the hens get back to using the nestboxes.

If you have a couple of pictures you can post on here so that we could offer some suggestions to solve the problem that might help as well.

 

[ranchhand]

Oh boy, I can relate to that! My hens go under the coop to lay, instead of using the lovely nest boxes I built. I have to crawl thru the muck twice a day to fetch eggs. Wouldn't be so bad, but I am usually racing a 4' yellow rat snake to the eggs! When he's there, he wins, hands (scales?) down!

 

[Carolyn]

Thankfully the snakes are sleeping (I hope!)

DH is going to have to play a major role in getting them out but how to keep them from doing something like this in the future is another matter.

It has just been so frustrating to fix something up for them only to have the ungrateful little feathered fellows decide to improvise in the most inconveniate way. This is more frustrating than raising children!!

 

[ranchhand]

Maybe DH can pull off a wall or front and hinge it this time. Or build some stable steps up to the top. And definately close off the underside- wire, so you still get ventilation. That's my plan, if and when I finish the run!

Think of the best way to do it- then figure out the "cheep" way and do it.
(my philosophy)

 

[digitS']

Carolyn, you may be able to fit a small roll of chicken netting under the roost to discourage the hens from returning to their improvised nest.

Be forewarned that they can get themselves trapped inside a roll of wire if they set their minds to it

. I had a hen do that once. It was more funny than anything else since I saw her get "stuck" and got her out right away.

There was a couple of angry moments of, "What the %$#*&!!" Then desperation, "I can't get out of heeerre!"

Then she just froze and waited for me to extricate her. I tightened up the roll a little so she won't be able to do that again.

Steve

 

[lisebarb]

Gee, I'm kinda liking the midget idea...

But I think you should let hubby fetch the eggs. How else will he learn?

 

[bills]

I leave my hens in the coop until 10-10.30 before letting them into the outside run. This way, with their schedule, they all lay in the coop. 5 lay in the nest box's, one, for some reason, always lays on the floor.

If I am going out for the day, and need to open the door to the run earlier than usual, that one stupid hen will lay in the run. The others have usually all layed by then, or will go back in to the coop, and lay in the nests.