Odd laying locations...

[OliverFrid]

So I have one 1 1/2 year old RI Red (Top Bird of the pecking order) laying up in the eves of our chicken coop. We recently added five Wyandottes about three months ago and they normally hang out in one or two of the brooder boxes since they still haven't full integrated into the pecking order yet. Recently I saw one of my Barred Rocks also laying in the same spot.... so this is becoming a problem since they are laying eggs in their own poop up there. Again ideas to get them to lay in the boxes again would be most appreciated.

 

[GitaBooks]

My chickens love to lay all over the place. Here are some things that could help:

Keep them locked up a few hours longer in the morning.
Cover the nesting sites they want to use with something
Put fake eggs in their nest boxes and make sure they are easy to access.

Best of luck!

 

[OliverFrid]

We put up screened netting all the way up to the ceiling of the coup yesterday and put in new roosting spots.... the birds had a hard time lastnight figuring out sleeping spaces but I think it will cut down on odd laying locations and less broody birds.

 

[TwistedFeathers]

My girls love to lay in my garden shed, ever since a hen i bought last year started laying in there. I have set them up a couple of nest in boxes and there is a waiting list every day for them.
But fake eggs work well to start them laying in a new nest i have set up. I also use golf balls, as some of my ee hens are too bloody smart, and have realised that the brown eggs are fakes, and won't touch the nest if there are no blue eggs in it. One of them yells her head off until i place a blue egg back in her nest. She can watch me do it, and as soon as that egg touches the nest, in she gets and lays hers, the wee tart. But golf balls have her sorted now She hasn't cottoned on to those, thankfully.
Also, how open are the nest boxes? They may feel to exposed for your girls, try partially covering them to add a bit of privacy, and then stick some fake eggs in there. They won't be able to resist poking their beaks in the hidey hole, and when they see eggsthere, they will hopefully decide it's a good place to lay theirs also.

 

[OliverFrid]

Seems the Bard Rock has gone broody and we closed over her laying spot with netting. She has removed all of the feathers from her breast and now has no tail pin feathers... I am to say the least.... confused. I will take a picture of her tomorrow and post it to get some opinions. I have owned chickens for three years and never seen this behavior....

 

[TwistedFeathers]

It's a broody thing. Most will pull out a few feathers and line their nest with them, some get carried away and almost end up bald.