Suddenly Hiding Their Eggs: Why?

[Laurajean]

So for days I've noticed my hens haven't been laying... or so I thought. I went out today, again surprised to still see no eggs, and by chance I decided to look UNDER the coop. There were 15 eggs, all in a bunch, many from my RIR, and various ones from my Bantams (but I can tell by the eggs they are from various bantams). What's the deal? They always lay in the nesting boxes IN the coop. The only exceptions have been the occasional stray egg popped out in the run in the wide open. But almost always inside the coop.

Why have they all suddenly conspired to hide them in a pile under the coop? Or is one of them moving them there?

Doesn't help that they are in a spot that's VERY difficult for me to reach; which I doubt is a coincidence.

 

[debilorrah]

Maybe there is hen that is egg picking and the others are hiding them her.

 

[breezy]

My jersey giant requires a very specific nest box situation or she will go under the coop to lay. The minute she does the buffs all copy her and lay there too. So maybe one or more of your birds has decided the nest box situation isnt to their liking and have moved where they lay and the others just followed suit. Try re-arranging their nest boxes if you can. Mine do best when the next boxes are off the ground and have sides tall enough that they cant see each other when they are in the box. Just a thought.

 

[Laurajean]

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I hope that's not it because the boxes are fixed; I can't move them and there's no room to add more, unless I put them directly on top of the others... maybe I'll have to try that.

Thanks!

 

[Laurajean]

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I have noticed one of them/some of them is breaking some open now and then, I wonder if that has to do with it.

 

[dacjohns]

They're on to you.

 

[ninnyeggs]

Some will hide their eggs if they see u go in and get them out of the nest

 

[NYRIR]

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My ducks are too....I catch heck when i try to collect

 

[Laurajean]

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On to me in general or on to me taking their eggs??

If it's the former I'm in big trouble...

 

[dacjohns]

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On to me in general or on to me taking their eggs??

If it's the former I'm in big trouble...

Both.