Perching egg-layer

[Chickengirl411]

Greetings! I live in Michigan and am new to the group. I have three hens, two are Ameracauna and one is a Black Australorp/Orpington (I think). My Ameracauna's are laying almost every day and my Black AO is laying about three eggs a week, but she is doing something weird.She won't lay an egg in the nesting box, or anywhere else in the coop. Instead, she hops up on her perch and drops her eggs from there. Yesterday I heard her making a really loud noise so I held my hands under her perch and she dropped her egg. I caught it! But all the other days, she has dropped the eggs to the floor of the coop and most of them have broken. Then the other hens eat them. Help! Why is my chicken doing this? I have tried pulling her off her perch and putting her into the nesting box but she gets really upset and just flies back up to the perch. Her name is Bubbles and she is really sweet. Thanks for any help you can give me.

edited by staff

 

[chickentooth]

Multiple things can be going on.

The simplest one and most likely is that she isn't allowed in the nesting box by one or more of the other chickens, she is just going by what she feels from her social statuts in the group. I would make or get her another place to lay, the most comfortable place right now is obviously on the perch so close to there would be a good place.

The other option is similar but instead of being the one low in pecking order she is higher and doesn't want to give up her spot on the perch to anyone else.

And of course there is also the fact that some young birds don't care for eggs very well it can take time for her to realize she is doing something wrong and when she figures it out all will be well.

Just my input hope it helps.

 

[Chickengirl411]

Thank you for the info. I do think that she is the lowest in the pecking order. Is it possible that she is scared about laying eggs? Again thank you for the info.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, chickengirl11, and

! Pleased you joined us! Sorry Bubbles isn't laying in her nest box. You might post this question in the link link below - the folks there will be able to give you more advice. Good luck to you!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/18/chicken-behaviors-and-egglaying

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Put lots of clean fluffy bedding beneath the roosts - that way the egg will not break. On her own she should get the idea of using the nest boxes.

 

[liz9910]

 

[sumi]

Hello and welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us!

 

[weimarmama]

&

from Alabama. Glad you joined us.

 

[Chickengirl411]

Thank you to everybody!