My B.O., Borp, stopped laying eggs on the floor this week! She has been laying for 6 weeks now, and has just loved laying eggs in the poop. I tried making nests on the floor, putting plywood over her favorite spots, and a few other things, but she was very determined. Recently, I would just put her in a proper nest whenever I saw her start to dig. Last week she began to stay in the nest if I put her there, and then 3 days ago she started going to the nest all on her own!.
I take no credit for training her, though. I just think some switch went off in her tiny chicken brain!
Today, however, I observed something sad. Poor Borp wanted to go into a nest, but could'nt figure out how. My nests are a bit high, about 30". The other birds just jump up to the nests. Borp is massive. She tried to jump but fell short and had a hard crash! It looked like she was hurting. She could have used a ramp at the other end of the coop, 8' away, then follow a long perch to the nests, but this was too much for her to figure out. I switched the orientation of the ramp so that it led directly to the nests, then showed her the ramp. She went back to attempt another jump. Again I showed her the ramp. To my amazement she climbed it and hopped into a nest. GOOD BIRD!!!
I take no credit for training her, though. I just think some switch went off in her tiny chicken brain!
Today, however, I observed something sad. Poor Borp wanted to go into a nest, but could'nt figure out how. My nests are a bit high, about 30". The other birds just jump up to the nests. Borp is massive. She tried to jump but fell short and had a hard crash! It looked like she was hurting. She could have used a ramp at the other end of the coop, 8' away, then follow a long perch to the nests, but this was too much for her to figure out. I switched the orientation of the ramp so that it led directly to the nests, then showed her the ramp. She went back to attempt another jump. Again I showed her the ramp. To my amazement she climbed it and hopped into a nest. GOOD BIRD!!!
