preparing for eggs - need help!

[mickeymousears]

according to my research, my girls should be laying in a couple months. they were born in April - so September/October puts them at about 6 months. Is there a way to train them to lay in a certain area, so I don't have rotten eggs hidden all over the yard? Also, I believe one of my "girls" is growing into a handsome guy - does this pose a problem? They live in a large 2 story coop with 3 ducks; the 3 chickens generally stay upstairs, while the ducks sleep on the bottom story and everyone is free range during the day. I noticed they LOVE to lay in my potted plants (and have killed off several already) - can I expect to find eggs in the pots? should I move the pots into their coop?


any/all suggestions are welcomed! thank you!!!

 

[Ilovemyladies!]

So do you just have 3 hens? What kind of rooster is he? B/c roosters of medium size should have at leats 8-10 hens to satisfy his "needs". If not, most of your hens will be run ragged by him. You could fill up some new pots with pine shavings or straw in the coop and put Easter eggs filled w/ sand in them. Sooner or later they will find them. Hope you find this information useful!

-Shannon

 

[Happy Chooks]

You can wooden eggs (you can buy them at most feed stores) or golf balls in the nest to encourage them to lay there. Chickens will look at the egg and think that since someone else laid there, it must be a safe spot. Now with that said, some pullets are "surprised" by the egg coming and they don't make it to the box in time. But over the first week or so of laying, they should start using the boxes. I don't have fake eggs in every box, I have a few girls that prefer empty boxes, so I leave some empty for them. If you find an egg somewhere you don't want them nesting - then take the egg and mess up the nest.

They are probably dust bathing in your potted plants.

And 3 hens in with a rooster is going to be tough on the hens.

 

[mickeymousears]

I have a barred rock, and a rhode island red = both girls... and I have a light brahma who I believe is actually a boy (I was hoping for 3 girls when I bought them) but his tail is starting to get long curly feathers and he is quite bossy. These are the 3 babies in my profile picture. So I need to purchase a few more chickens??? Idk if the feed supply still has them, and if they do they are usually unsexed newborns - so im concerned about picking up a few more roosters. I am personally happy with a flock of 6 (3 chickens/3 ducks), but if it is to the detriment of someone I will get a few more.

When you say nesting box - is this a box you purchase? and with 2 hens - will they share one box?

thanks for all the info - you can see im an extreme novice at this!

 

[Ilovemyladies!]

Nest boxes can be shared by 4 or 5 hens. The boxes can be purchased at your local feed store. If he gets too bossy and the girls start to show signs of feather loss on their back/neck and cuts and scrapes from his nails then yes I would get more (grown) hens. It's better to be safe than sorry! Hope this helps!



-Shannon

 

[Happy Chooks]

You can buy them, build them, use kitty litter boxes with the cover - even a cardboard box would work (on it's side, just tape a lip on it so the poopy shavings don't get kicked in the nest). Generally they are about 12X12 in size.