Quick! Help!

[mrsmaonaigh]

One of my hens looks like she is laying for the first time. The other hens are around her doing the egg song. But she has made a nest in the corner of my yard. She is still there right now. I don't want her to get into the habit of laying in the yard. Am I able to pick her up and put her into the nesting box or is that a really bad idea? Thanks!

*Edited to update* WOW! Just wow. Ok so I didn't move her because I didn't want to hurt her. I went over to check her nest and there are 7 eggs! 7! And all this time I just thought no one else was laying. It looks like some of the other hens are using this spot too because there are different colors in there.

 

[gritsar]

If they were my hens they would now be locked in their coop for about a week, until they learn to lay in the nestboxes. Adding golfballs to the nestboxes can help give them the idea that nestboxes are excellent places to lay their eggs.
Remove the eggs and destroy the nest they have made for themselves.

 

[greenmulberry]

Yeah, since it seems they have made a habit of laying there, remove all the eggs from the illegal nest, lock the girls up in the coop for several days straight, and when you let them out again, have something in that spot so that is will not be suitable for nesting at all. Like an overturned bucket or a big rock.

 

[colada584]

Quote:
I second that! I would keep them locked in the coop until they learned where to put them.

 

[mrsmaonaigh]

Thanks y'all. I was shocked to find that many eggs. I thought only one of my girls were laying! I had just posted that on another thread too. I go out there several times a day too so it is just so surprising that I never saw these. The spot isn't exactly hidden but I guess I'm going to have to do a few more walk arounds. In the pen they go.

 

[cjdmashley]

agree with everyone and wanted to add CONGRATS!!!!!!!

even if it's not where you want them al least their still laying!

 

[tuesdays chicks]

It only took me 2 days in lockup this week for my hidden nest layer to learn. I think my problem was I only had 1 nest for 4 girl. If the hen was sitting on the nest they would have to lay somewhere else. My own fault.

 

[mrsmaonaigh]

We've got 4 boxes but only one of them is in use. The other three have been untouched. I hope they don't start laying UNDER the coop. Or I'll be in trouble.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Quote:
Yup, that's typical hen behavior, always wanting what the other hen has.

We have 6 nesting boxes for 12 laying hens (6 more are getting close) and while I was thinking about adding another one or two, I feel like it with be fruitless to add more. They'll literally line up and wait for the favored box to become available, all the while giving the meanest stink eyes you've ever seen.

Good luck with your girls!!

 

[Indy acres]

We had to make some more nesting boxes for our younger chickens, we kept them seperated from the older girls because they were so nasty to them so now the younger girls are 17 weeks old and should be laying soon and I know the older girls won't let them near their nesting boxes so we have three new ones. I know what you mean about the nest outside because I couldn't figure out why one of my girls wasn't laying and I found a nest outside the coop with 15 eggs in it so now I put a cardboard box under the nesting boxes and she has been laying in there. It just makes me mad that I didn't find it sooner and I lost 15 eggs, but our dog loves them hope he doesn't get high colesterol lol.