One chicken in nest so the other used the run?

[mnied01]

Today was the first day that I've had two chickens lay. One of my Buffs went to lay her first egg in the nesting box and took a few hours. In the mean time my head hen who always lays wouldn't go in the box and instead laid her egg in the sand of their coop! There's plenty of room in the nesting area for both of them. Any thoughts?

 

[youngchooklover]

Today was the first day that I've had two chickens lay. One of my Buffs went to lay her first egg in the nesting box and took a few hours. In the mean time my head hen who always lays wouldn't go in the box and instead laid her egg in the sand of their coop! There's plenty of room in the nesting area for both of them. Any thoughts?

Well I always have nesting problems with hens. Sometimes they just like to lay on the floor but it would be best if you got her another nest. You can also put a golf ball or a egg in the nest to encourage her to lay in the nest.

 

[Jujubara]

I think once your new layer gets better at it she won't take so long and they will work it out. Lol, a few of ours lay in a shipping box! And they'll fight over it. The others lay in their own spots. But the EE, SS, a silkie, and WL all lay in this box!

 

[Happy Chooks]

She probably just didn't make it back to the nest box in time. New layers pace a lot. Sometimes they make it back to the nest, sometimes they don't.

 

[aart]

Today was the first day that I've had two chickens lay. One of my Buffs went to lay her first egg in the nesting box and took a few hours. In the mean time my head hen who always lays wouldn't go in the box and instead laid her egg in the sand of their coop! There's plenty of room in the nesting area for both of them. Any thoughts?

How many birds and how many nests? Usually 1 nest for every 3-4 birds is recommended but definitely not a hard and fast rule of thumb.
Some fake eggs/golf balls in most the nests can help show them where to lay...tho I had one pullet that would not lay with the fake egg in there at first.

She probably just didn't make it back to the nest box in time. New layers pace a lot. Sometimes they make it back to the nest, sometimes they don't.

Ditto Dat^^^^

 

[mnied01]

I have 5 chickens but only two lay. The one who laid in the sand is the one that's been laying for a while. The one that was in the box was the new layer and it's not so much a nesting box as it is a premade coop that's been made into nests.

 

[AuntNomi]

I have 8 laying hens in one of my coops with 5 nesting boxes, every single one of them use the same box. They will go 2 or 3 at a time sometimes, stand in line at other times. Sometimes someone gets bent out of shape and starts raising heck because the other is too slow. They are crazy. But I have never had one lay on the ground. I would think she just didn't make it in time or was tired of waiting on the other, being as she's been laying a while.