Not Laying In Nestboxes

[meadowsong]

We got our first eggs this AM. WAY before I thought I would, my chickens are between 16-18 weeks old and everyone told me it would be at least 20-24 weeks haha, anyways................so we hung the nest boxes 3 days ago because I noticed the Roosters were mating with the hens. I figured it was a sign they would be laying soon.

So this AM, there are 2 gorgeous eggs there, both cracks open, laying on the roost (our roost is flat, not inclined). No one ate the eggs and the shells were super soft. I'm not sure if they pecked at them or if they just stepped on them.

Anytips to get them to lay IN the boxes for next time? We are going to get some golfballs here soon.

We also need to get some layer mash and calcium. But can I feed all my hens layer mash now? Even if they aren't all laying yet? We have 16 hens and 4 roosters.

Thanks so much for any tips and advice!!

 

[Big dreams]

It sounds like you are doing things right, get the golf balls, and I would go ahead and start on the layer, they are all close enough. You could also add some oyster shell, just a dish somewhere so they can choose to eat it or not, mine like me to smash it so it's smaller, but I don't think it matters that much. Congrats on your first eggs, the next ones maybe you can eat.

 

[cmom]

Congratulation on your first egg!!! I agree I would start feeding them their layer feed. If you have any Starter or Grower feed left over just mix it in with the Layer feed. I agree, I use golf balls in my nest boxes. Also you can feed them some yogurt in their feed for added calcium. I would put out a dish of free choice oyster shells. They will take what the want or need. In the beginning when the pullets start to lay you may get soft shells and even double yokers while their bodies are adjusting to laying. Also the girls may have favorite nest boxes and lay mostly in certain ones.

 

[meadowsong]

Yup, we got a good start then! We got some ping pong balls actually and when I came home, I found a hen sitting on an egg in the corner of their coop. So I picked up the egg and hen and placed them both in the nest box. She flew out, we took the egg (which was actually pretty hard shelled compared to the two we found this AM), and she went right back to the spot she laid the egg and sat back down. She kept going back to where she laid her egg to sit on it though. Not possible that she would be broody though, that seems odd so I'm just hoping she'll be the first to learn to lay in the boxes.

So we got 1 good egg today! So teeny, only an ounce in size, but man are my kiddos proud! It was one of my Golden Comets that laid the egg

 

[Judy]

It took my new bunch about 3 or 4 weeks before everyone consistently laid in the next boxes rather than on the coop floor. I used golf balls and do feel they help, as the hens would roll them around with their beak as if adjusting a nest of eggs. (I'm sure ping pong will work just as well, if they don't kick them out due to the lighter weight. But then they occasionally kicked a golf ball out, too.)

 

[JReedy72]

I hope to figure this out too. My girls have started laying, and they are laying in the back-corners of the coop instead of the laying boxes. I need to try the golf-ball thing.

Jason

 

[meadowsong]

I never even thought of them being able to kick a lightweight ping pong ball out. I just got them because they were so much cheaper lol!

I figured that they are exactly 17 weeks old today, they are laying way earlier than I expected!

 

[dipence71]

tried the golf balls and all they did was play with them and lay the eggs on the floor under the nest boxes