"Submissive" crouch

[aart]

I just use golf balls, leave a couple in each nest all the time.
I also go out at roost time and shove the pullets out of the nests so I don't have to go out at the crack of dawn to open then nests back up.

Tho I did start retraining by physically taking them out of the nests and placing them on the roosts after dark for a couple nights, then covered the nests for a couple nights and now just check every night when I close the pop door just before dusk, one hen - now laying, still wants to sleep in the nests a couple times a week.
Luckily I can access the nests without going into the coop and disrupting the roosting time.

 

[jdoane]

Another question. I have nest box curtains up as my one layer REALLY likes her privacy! She just won't settle down enough to lay if she can see any of the the others. She was constantly darting out at them and scaring them away and never getting down to business. Curtains fixed that instantly. But should I take them down for the new layers until they get it?

They clearly know the box is behind the curtains as they go in there to sleep if I don't close it off!

 

[TwoCrows]

Do you have more than one nest box? You could always leave the curtain up for the hen that likes the privacy and the other boxes open so the new layers know what to do. However, if they are already sneaking behind this curtain to sleep in the boxes, then I would say you could leave them up.

 

[jdoane]

Do you have more than one nest box? You could always leave the curtain up for the hen that likes the privacy and the other boxes open so the new layers know what to do. However, if they are already sneaking behind this curtain to sleep in the boxes, then I would say you could leave them up.

Oh good idea! Now why did I not think of that!!!

 

[TwoCrows]

Good luck with your babies. Keep us posted on that special day when that first egg appears!

 

[jdoane]

Yay!!!!! Egg!!!!! Went out for morning chores this morning and there was a new egg waiting for me! Still warm! I'm figuring defitely from my Gold Sex Link - Luna. She didn't use the nest box though (apparently she still thinks that is for sleeping!!!) She did dig herself a little nest in the sand of the coop in the corner closest to the nest boxes. So hopefully she will move herself in!

I was surprised how big it was. My Silver Laced Wyandotte (Lacy) that is laying was already laying when we got her so I never saw her first egg. But Luna's egg doesn't seem much smaller! Lacy's eggs are about 2 oz. This new one is about 1.5 oz. Is that normal to be that big?

Here's pic



And her is the egg next to one of Lacy's (after laying for more than 3 months). The new egg from Luna is the top, darker egg.

 

[TwoCrows]

Yay!!!!! Egg!!!!! Went out for morning chores this morning and there was a new egg waiting for me! Still warm! I'm figuring defitely from my Gold Sex Link - Luna. She didn't use the nest box though (apparently she still thinks that is for sleeping!!!) She did dig herself a little nest in the sand of the coop in the corner closest to the nest boxes. So hopefully she will move herself in!

I was surprised how big it was. My Silver Laced Wyandotte (Lacy) that is laying was already laying when we got her so I never saw her first egg. But Luna's egg doesn't seem much smaller! Lacy's eggs are about 2 oz. This new one is about 1.5 oz. Is that normal to be that big?

Here's pic



And her is the egg next to one of Lacy's (after laying for more than 3 months). The new egg from Luna is the top, darker egg.

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats on that egg!! It is huge too! There is nothing more egg-citing than finding that first egg from a certain layer. And still after all these years, I still get a thrill out of finding eggs from my older girls too.

GREAT to HEAR! Keep up the good work!

 

[jossome]

Its been a couple months! I saw in my email you got an egg and thought "SWEET!" but i JUST saw the pictures! That is a HUGE first egg! Awesome!