Strange new behavior

[kmacinnis]

Hey everyone three out of my four hens over the last two days have started laying eggs in the run and not in their coop nest box. They have been laying for four months now and have always laid in her nest box so this is a first. I do use straw for the run floor but have never had this happen before. Does this seem normal to anyone?

 

[Peeps61]

Hey everyone three out of my four hens over the last two days have started laying eggs in the run and not in their coop nest box. They have been laying for four months now and have always laid in her nest box so this is a first. I do use straw for the run floor but have never had this happen before. Does this seem normal to anyone?

It's normal. Mine will lay wherever the first egg of the day is laid. Fortunately, most of the time, it's in the nesting box .

 

[AuntNomi]

Mine have always laid in there nesting box, and never anywhere else. I have even had a hen get into a panic because they were out in the yard when she needed to lay and I had the coop door closed. She got very loud and paced in front of the door til I opened it, and went straight to a nesting box and quickly laid an egg, then went straight back to the yard.
If I were you I'd check out the box, make sure nothing is around maybe that could scare them from laying there. I have found a skink in our nesting boxes a few times. Which I know doesn't scare my chickens cause I have seen mine eat them. But I have also found a big snake in one as well. Just a thought. Good luck getting them back in the nesting boxes.

 

[RooDen]

Chickens will lay an egg wherever they feel comfortable. If they have got a liking for your run then that's where they'll lay an egg. You can get them used to the nest box if you want to by making it more comfortable. One of my hens has got a liking for laying in my bathroom ! She somehow manages to get in the bathroom and lay an egg. If kept out then she doesn't lay an egg and she has gone for more than a week without laying if not allowed in the bathroom. Now that's one strange chicken I have raised all my life.

 

[Pork Pie]

There may be some mites or other annoyance in the nest boxes - maybe check them?
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