The ladies are making me nuts!!!

[Kidwantschickens]

I'm guessing they're laying somewhere I can't find. And I'm guessing the only solution is to trap them in the coop a few days. But maybe you guys have tips in how to find a nest?

I've seen 2 eggs that were dark black copper Marans ish (I don't have a BCM). This was two weeks ago so I know she's laying more.... All 11 of 12 hens are squatting, and they are just starting to lay, good laying breeds, so I feel like I should be getting more than 5 of the same eggs a day .. I found a pinkish one in the yard a few days ago, never saw a similar one again, found a speckled one in the nest, never saw a similar one again, and there have to be others. I'm consistently getting ones from my cuckoo Marans, the 2 EEs and the sapphire gem.

Are they eating some but not all? Or do they have a nest somewhere and how do I find it??

 

[RubelliteRose]

They probably aren't eating the eggs, but they may be laying them somewhere besides the nest box. The only way I know of to find a hidden nest is to sit and watch them or do a thorough search of the property
It won't hurt them to be locked in the coop (or coop and run if you have one) for a few days to get them used to laying in the nest boxes. Once the first few start using the nest boxes, the rest will hopefully follow.
Also, they can be somewhat erratic when first laying. It can take several weeks to settle into a more regular laying schedule. One of mine took a couple of months before she started laying regularly.

 

[3KillerBs]

This is their coop/run area but I've never locked them in. Lol. They're going to hate me.

They'll get over it. They need to earn their keep by putting eggs in the nest boxes.

 

[3KillerBs]

Shutting them into their coop and run for a week or so ought to help.

 

[RubelliteRose]

I heard a bunch of egg song (from 2-3 hens) this morning but no eggs in the nest box

So we have learned that the egg song doesn't necessarily mean someone has laid an egg. It has various meanings: I have laid an egg, I am going to lay an egg. Someone else has laid an egg... And my favorite - I need to lay an egg, but you are in my favorite nest box so hurry up and get out

And then I think this is the speckled Sussex

I have a Speckled Sussex and her eggs are a very light tan color. I don't think that one is hers. It is a beautiful egg though!

The sapphire gem was in there all morning. No egg. Did she eat it?

Breaking an egg open is pretty messy. I don't think she could be eating eggs in the nest box with out leaving evidence.

 

[3KillerBs]

To hey have 4 boxes. They use the bottom two (I need to work on that part) I had cov red them with a sheet. They like it a lot better but they don't utilize the top two)

One day you'll find that, suddenly, they only use that nest.

Chickens are weird that way.

Mine favor the boxes on the left. Then the boxes on the right. Then the middle. It's beyond my comprehension why a given hen chooses a given box.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Mine aren't laying much lately. The only 3 of my 10 actively laying hens who lay regularly are the Leghorn (of course), the Naked Neck, and the Spitzhauben. My Silkies are broody (of course). My Cochin has never been a regular layer. My Orpingtons and my Brahma are molting. My Rock lays less frequently now that she's older (that's expected).

And before the broodiness and the molting, they were laying less frequently because of the HEAT. All 3 of those birds (my Leghorn, Naked Neck, and Spitz) do very well in the heat.

There are a few weeks in spring when I'm up to my eyeballs in eggs, but most of the time, there's something interfering. I just shrug it off. They can't be 100% layers 100% of the time.

Except the Leghorn. She's a machine.

 

[3KillerBs]

Breaking an egg open is pretty messy. I don't think she could be eating eggs in the nest box with out leaving evidence.

Yes, this.

I had a girl dropping softies as she went into molt and there was always a telltale wet spot in the shavings even after the birds had cleaned up the mess.

 

[Kidwantschickens]

Well they're about to spend their mornings penned up! The have an 8x16 run, plus 7.5x5.5 area under the coop and the same floor space again in the coop, plus the nest boxes. Should be enough space. They just aren't used to it. Kids will let them out at 4 when they get home from school!!

 

[Kidwantschickens]

This is their coop/run area but I've never locked them in. Lol. They're going to hate me.


This is the back area. Good luck finding anything here.