pullet digging under ladder

[teachermom24]

We have 18 5-month old pullets, some of which started laying a couple weeks ago. One of the pullets spends most of the day digging under the ladder (from the coop to the yard) and sitting in the depression she made. I think it's the same one every day and not sure if she's laying yet or not. It's not been particularly hot either.

What do you make of this?

Also, one more question if I may--how do I get them to lay their eggs in the nesting boxes instead of the opposite side of the coop? We tried putting golf balls and some of the eggs in the boxes, but they just pull them all out.

Thanks!

 

[CCourson05]

To get them to lay in the nesting boxes, put a golf ball in a few of the nesting boxes. They will follow the golf balls.

It sounds like she is just taking a dust bath. Does she lay on her side and kick up the dirt onto her back?

 

[teachermom24]

Sounds like a dust bath. We have tried the golf balls but they scratch them out and keep laying on the opposite side of the coop. I'm half-tempted just to put an egg door on the other side.

 

[so lucky]

They may be wanting a more private place to lay their eggs. Are the nest boxes in the middle of the traffic? (Chicken traffic) Are they highly visible? If it is more private where they are laying, this may be the reason. I have read about chicken folks putting curtains on the nest boxes. (Gotta be chintz and ruffles tho!

)

 

[teachermom24]

I think that's it. The nest boxes are not in the middle of traffic, but they are highly visible. They are laying in the far corner which I think they find much more private. So, I'll hang some curtains or some kind of barrier. Last time we had layers, we just had a dog house in the chicken yard where they laid their eggs.

Thanks!

 

[teachermom24]

When my son, our chicken meister, went to feed the chickens this morning he found one egg in the usual place--i.e. opposite end of the coop from the nesting boxes. Once the girls were all outside, I shut the coop door, cleaned out the nesting boxes, put in fresh wood shavings and then nailed up a curtain for their "laying parlor". And, guess what?? All the eggs are in the nesting boxes today! What an unbelievably simply brilliant solution!

So, thank you "so lucky" for giving me the perfect solution!