should she lay everyday??

[mickeymousears]

My hen decided the livingroom was a nice place to lay her eggs- so I made her a little box in the corner and she has laid her first 3 eggs in there.

She was laying around 330PM but on the third day I was at work at that time and she didn't lay an egg until the next morning around 8. I left the backdoor open for her to come in but maybe she didn't realize it or didn't like the change in pattern? Anyways so this morning she came in around 9 to lay her egg- she sat in the box for an hour and there are still only 3 eggs in the box.

Does she need to lay every day? Why did she sit in the box and not produce anything? Should I try to get her to sit in the box again?

We've been leaving the eggs in the box- should we take them out? It so cute how she collects them and lays on them all

Thanks for your help!!

 

[Kaeta44]

First, take the eggs out of the box every day or she might be encouraged to go broody.

Some chickens lay most days, others on alternate days and some just now and again. I'd suggest you let nature take its course and don't try to confuse your hen by encouraging her to sit in the box. A couple of my hens sometimes go into the nest box simply for a nap, so don't worry if she just sits in the box and doesn't produce an egg - they're not machines!

You might want to consider getting her a friend or two (maybe they could all live outside then). In the wild, which is where chickens originated, they would be in small groups.

Best of luck with your chicken.


http://muckycluckers.blogspot.com/

 

[itom37]

She shouldn't necessarily lay every day. Leave her alone and she'll be fine. Does she have access to the nest all day? She should.

You let your chickens wander in and out of your house? I'd get them to lay outside so they don't, um, poop everywhere. Up to you of course, however with your human baby on the way, cohabitating with farm animals is not recommended.

 

[mickeymousears]

Thanks for your info! She has another chicken friend and 2 ducks- they all grew up together (we recently had to rehome the rooster and the mallard flew away- I need to update my thing).

Yes everyone roams in and out- I have house rabbits I open the door for so they can go eat grass and sunbathe and the birds feel that's their open invitation. Their "brooder" was the livingroom so I guess I understand why they feel welcomed inside. The poo is surprisingly not to much of an issue they generally come in see what everyone is up to and go back outside.

The first time she layed an egg she was in the house following me around whining at me- for 2 days I couldn't shake her so I stuck her in a box with some bunny hay and low and behold she laid her first egg - we took that box and put it in their coop and the next day she was back in the house complaining again- so then came box number 2 which hasn't left the livingroom. And that's been the procedure ever since (ever since meaning the last week). Yes she should lay outside like a normal chicken but I guess normal isn't our style

LOL.

Any idea on how to get her to lay in her coop? My other chicken hasn't started laying yet so I suppose it would be good to transistion before she starts.