Sudden Broodiness and a surprise!!

[jwsmith1959]

It has been a terrible week here and I had really thought my last issue would be with chickens....BUT.

I've been missing an egg periodically for over a week and then a couple of days ago I was coming up two short. I figured a snake, but I really watched the coop for a bit and tried to rule that out.

Yesterday, one of my girls disappeared and I found her late in the day on a darn pile of eggs that have been laid under an old junk car I have. She did not coop up last night and I coaxed her out this morning with some scratch and this is what I found.



We had about 10 inches of rain during this time and I was not as attentive as I should have been plus having mower, septic and other issues to deal with I let it get away from me.

The broody girl rejoined the flock this morning but I am unsure what to do about the new laying area?? Should I lock my girls up for a bit to force them to lay in the boxes again?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Good luck and all the best.

 

[AidKD]

I would, if you're wanting them to lay in the boxes again!

 

[DotToDot]

What @AidKD said. Also, if you want to encourage it even more, you can put any kind of vaguely egg-shaped item in the boxes. Egg-shaped stones, golf balls, wooden eggs, plastic easter eggs (although maybe not neon orange).

 

[Ursuline Chick]

We took in a ferel hen who laid eggs under a boat, that was under the house. She was a bantam and disappeared. We looked everywhere repeatedly for her and finally decided a hawk had gotten her. Then one night I heard a lot of peeping coming from an open window. I found a large number ( about 15) chicks with the little bantam mom under the house. We had looked there everyday for around a month.
At least you have a choice right now. The large number of chicks caused problems for us and the mom.
Once the mom was put in a broody cage, all the hens started laying in the nests in the coop again.