They won't lay in the nest... Rarr

[pixie74943]

They wont lay in the nest. Their quite content to lay next to the nest, which just happens to be under the roost *sigh* and therefore all my eggs are poopy.

I'll get a picture tomorrow, but the nest isnt a tight squeeze, which might be a problem. Its an old plastic container with a door hole cut out (about halfway down the box is cut out, leaving a bit to hold the straw in).

It's filled with straw and shredded paper, and has a golfball in it. What else can I do to encourage my rogue chickens to lay in the box, instead of under the roost?

*and I'll get pics tomorrow if I can*

 

[chicks4kids]

Is there some sort of board or something for them to stand on in front of the hole so that they can see in? Or to make it easier to get into? Maybe they don't like their feet on the rim of the hole perhaps......

 

[pixie74943]

The board holding the straw in is roughly the same width as the roost. and they can see into it from standing height. dont think thats it

 

[MIKE555444]

I have one pullet that refuses to lay in the nest.... So yesterday I layed a large plank of plywood over the floor where she insists on laying. I knew I had it covered this time... but.... she just layed her egg yesterday ON TOP OF THE BARE PLYWOOD right beside the nest *sigh*

All the other pullets like the nest and lay in all of them but not this lady

 

[pixie74943]

lol.. thats my next plan.. actually.. im gonna go do that now while their sleeping.. hehehe

EDIT: done and done, theres 5 randomly sized bits of wood under the roost where they like to lay, criss-crossed in and uneven lattce kinda thing, so we'll see what happens in the morning

 

[Shannon's Chix]

Same problem here as Mike. I only have 2 layers and 2 nest boxes. One lays in the same box, the other on the floor. I'm thinking the one who lays in the box (the boss lady) won't let the other go in there???? IDK...

 

[Uppity Peon]

I made a nice little nest box out of a small plastic doghouse and it has straw and golf balls in it. But I don't think any of the chickens have explored the nesting box.

I only have one girl laying ATM, and she lays in the corner of the coop. Her eggs are small, but beautiful and perfect.

So yesterday I removed the doghouse and I plan on setting up a plastic crate in the corner where my one pullet has been laying. I want to build roll-out boxes, but money has been too tight lately.

 

[pixie74943]

well, one girl laid in the box (instead of under the roost)

The other girl laid under the roost and her egg broke *gasp*

pretty sure it wasnt eaten, just mashed into the ground. There was ALOT of noise made over the broken egg, so maybe she'll learn her lesson tomorrow morning

 

[redmoon]

Hi pixie74943,

I'm having the exact same issue that you posted about. I have six girls with (I believe) five laying right now. There are four nesting boxes (5 gallon buckets) but for some reason one of the girls is laying her egg right under the roost so that the egg is laying in poop. The other layers are all happily using the well lined and easily accessible nesting boxes.

What happened the next day with the owner of the broken egg? Did she lay in the nest box the next day? Is she still laying on the ground? With eggs being porous and chicken poop teeming with germs, are pooped on eggs supposed to be thrown away? I read somewhere that you could not wash them in water because the egg would somehow suck all of the germs from the outside into the egg.

Please update on your wayward layer.

Thanks,
Athena


Quote:

 

[gottalovemychickens]

also brand new white golf balls , i cant stress that enough

i did a study about chickens vision and guess what , they are not color blind, they know white from brown and blue from green

Chickens will only lay eggs in nests with white golf balls and wont touch any other nest with different colored golf balls