Suddenly not laying in nest box - could be cold?

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Hi there
my gals have always laid in their nest box. They have just started laying over the last two weeks again after their winter break and the first couple were in the nest box but I've noticed the last few days they're laying in their coop in the bedding. It's not a huge deal but they are getting a bit more crud on them since they're walking over them. Do you think i't just because of the cold snap? This week has been quite cold compared the last month (polar vortex rolling in) and I'm wondering if it's just cozier for them. I use deep bedding so it's very easy for them to dig a nest. I'm just worried I am not going to see buried eggs and that's not great if they freeze and crack or thaw. Any suggestions?

 

[aart]

How cold?

Are the nests clean(no bugs) with good bedding?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

How cold?

Are the nests clean(no bugs) with good bedding?

It's been going down to -10c ish but prior to that we were having a very very warm December. Yep nests are clean, I just tossed some more bedding in there a few days ago. Nothing has changed other than the temps?

 

[aart]

Hard to say why they do what they do.
Do you keep fake eggs in the nests?
...and they laid in the nests before their winter break?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Hard to say why they do what they do.
Do you keep fake eggs in the nests?
...and they laid in the nests before their winter break?

I haven't had fake eggs in the nest since a few months after they started laying. they were born in spring 2022. they laid in the nests up to last week - the first week back from laying one hen laid twice in box. Second hen joined laying this week and both are laying out of the box now... odd eh? Maybe I have to put the fake egg back on the nest.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Put the fakes back in. Does no harm to leave them in (unless you have birds that realllllly love to brood) and helps assure the layers that the nests are still safe to use.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

So they're back to laying in the nest box. Maybe was just a strange blip!? Sadly the eggs are freezing and cracking quite fast since this cold weather zoomed in, so they'll be cooked back for the chickens.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

mmm and now they are back to the nest under the roost. I blame the cold snap. this is so annoying because I can't see the eggs and they keep freezing!

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

mmm and now they are back to the nest under the roost. I blame the cold snap. this is so annoying because I can't see the eggs and they keep freezing!

Did you end up finding a solution to the freezing eggs? This is my worry as winter approaches…

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Did you end up finding a solution to the freezing eggs? This is my worry as winter approaches…

Don't sweat it too much - just collect daily if you can. Put lots of soft bedding in there. I also have had good success with a padded envelope under the nesting material, keeps it a little thicker under them. My girls don't lay much over the winter, but sometimes one randomly starts when it's still cold in late winter. They (thankfully) just had a glitch where they weren't using the nest box but went back to it and all has been good.