Strange behavior going on!! Help!!

[lynns-hens]

My 19 hens and one rooster that are 13 1/2 months old.....laying started out fine last summer. This spring it's not quite the case. I have gotten 75% of the eggs from one nesting box out of 4 so the other 4 have stayed blocked, storing scratch and dried mealworms. I have at least one hen that has loosened the cardboard and is getting up into the storage area/blocked nesting boxes and are laying her/their egg/eggs (I've never had more then 2 there in a day). I've now got a couple big girls (chochins) hanging out during the day sitting on golf balls in one or two of the nesting boxes. I think more girls are laying this spring and suddenly I'm finding eggs (lots of them) buried under 6 inches of hay under the coop (it's raised so they have a place to get out of the rain. Do I need to open up more nesting boxes, put up curtains, or what? I'd appreciate any wisdom anyone has to bestow! Thanks!!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yes, give them more nestboxes. All hens lay less eggs the second season, and less the next, until they stop completely.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Definitely open up all 4 nests...put a fake egg in all of them to 'spread the love'.

Not really strange behavior at all. They will use one nest unless enticed with 'bait eggs' to use the others.

With 19 layers you may even want to add 1-2 more nests,
just to reduce the traffic jams and eggs laid in inconvenient places.