Sitting in Water

[MissChessy]

I have a young hen-Easter Egger, for some unkown reason she wants to lay her eggs outside the run and on the floor of the hen house. We have gotten some heavy rains and the run is under water, can't get adequate drainage and I'm wondering are her eggs okay if they are sitting in water? I have plenty of nest boxes in the hen house and dry places for her to lay, I'm confused as to why she lays outside in the mud???

 

[kcsunshine]

Maybe she's trying to cool her tush?

 

[ranchhand]

I'd throw out the eggs that have been sitting in water. Eggs are very porous and soak up everything.

As far as her laying outside, try putting some fake eggs or golfballs in the nest boxes, and keeping her in the coop until she has laid. I have had some hens that just won't use nestboxes, but maybe you can retrain her. She might also be harassed by the other hens.

Hope you dry out soon! Perhaps a load of gravel in the run?

 

[MissChessy]

Thanks guys. Can't get a load of gravel, it is too wet. My father brought me a load of sand and it was too wet then. Waiting for it to dry out a bit so we can get some more gravel. We have 60% chance of rain on Wednesday.