this post covers a few ?'s on here and asks a couple more

[coopsgirl]

My cluckers have started laying first 2 eggs today, found one in nest box, 1 outside on ground. Should I try to tell them where to put eggs by leaving them in boxes? I am guessing the same bird (out of 5) laid them. funny as we had snow and coldest temp last night and today, and now they start laying......

Funny liitle birds.. I LOVE THEM!!!!

I also haven't done anything different inside for light been leaving it on for them to try and keep things on an even scale temp wise.
Also I put them in at night and let them out in AM regardless of weather, if I don't I have cranky birds that let me know it

Unless of course there is some really nasty stuff, have a thermo in coop and a camera... MY HUBBY LOVES to peek at them and chat during the night so he set up a camera in their coop and they snuggle and fluff together. The cluckers not the Hubby... HAHA LOL

We live in mass. if any of this info is helpful.
Also just a check, am I doing all the right things? First time wwith chickens and I have read this board and read the books. Guess I need a bid of confidence.

Thanks for all the info
PPS..... cluckers have been fluffing today, are they trying to lay or keep warm? both??

 

[coopsgirl]

OH and I forgot, I use a heated horse bucket 2.5 gallon outside for water and it works well. If anyone wants to give it a try.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I wouldn't leave the actual eggs there. Among other things you don't want 'em getting accidentally broken and the hens learning how YUMMY fresh egg is

What you can do instead, to achieve the same result, is put one or two "nest eggs" in the box(es)... golf balls, plastic easter eggs filled with <something solid> and taped together, or I actually just use a surprisingly egg-shaped rock that I happened to run across the day I was first looking for something to use as a nest egg. Works great

Everything you're doing sounds reasonable to me

Have fun, congrats on the eggs,

Pat

 

[miss jay's mama]

It took a few days for my one hen to lay in the nest box. I have a couple of plastic easter eggs in the nest boxes(one in each box). I also put this hen in the nest box. I don't know if putting her in the box, the fake egg or watching the others lay in the nest did the trick.

 

[digitS']

miss jay's mama :

It took a few days for my one hen to lay in the nest box. I have a couple of plastic easter eggs in the nest boxes(one in each box). I also put this hen in the nest box. I don't know if putting her in the box, the fake egg or watching the others lay in the nest did the trick.

I think all 3.

They need to be comfortable with the idea of going in the box. It helps for them to find something in there that makes them think of using the box as a nest. Hearing and seeing others make use of the nest box encourages them to try it themselves.

Try to discourage them from laying in the wrong place.

Steve​

 

[coopsgirl]

someone emailed me about the water bucket. i purchased it at www.horse.com
2.5 gallon heated bucket, small enough they dont have to climb in it. so i only change water every couple of days.
works very well
it works for 5 chickens, guessing it may accomadate up to 10.........