Rolling eggs out of nest

[wholehearted]

Our pullets are now 20 weeks. A few weeks ago, I began putting fake eggs in the nest boxes as I've read that helps them learn where to lay. They recently began rolling the eggs out of the boxes, so dh put a higher edge on the front of the boxes and I took the fake eggs out. Well, today we got our first real egg, but they still managed to roll it out into the coop/shavings area. Ds did not see it when he went out to check on them, so he stepped on/smashed it. Of course, he promptly cleaned it up and came to tell me. I was

over getting my first egg, and

over how to keep them from putting the eggs out the nest or figuring out why they are doing it.

Any ideas on why they do this or how to prevent it? I researched and only came up with stuff about broody hens pushing out bad eggs, etc. Thanks for any help you can offer this newbie.

 

[Judy]

That is strange!

I wonder if you tacked up a piece of cloth over most of the opening to darken the nest box if they would leave it alone, since it would be very hard for them to see.

Did you use lightweight fake eggs? If they are plastic, you might fill with sand, or just switch to golf balls.

Broodies will also move eggs from one nest to another. I wonder if this is some sort of misguided half-broodiness.

If nothing else works, maybe you could change them to rollaway nest boxes.