What is my hen doing?

[ButterflyEggs]

Some girls are quick about their laying, in and out of the nest box in a flash, others pace and sing and go in and out of the coop throughout the day before finally laying

So I shouldnt be too concerned that she didnt lay in the morning like she did yesterday?

 

[sourland]

As others have said - normal vocalizations and normal behavior. When they first start laying it takes them time to adjust to the process. It is possible that she may not even lay today.

 

[Shadrach]

My sweet girl, Goldie, is a Rhode Island Red/Production Red hybrid. She has been behaving oddly for the past hour with very strange distressed sounds and the behavior in the video link below. It started at 1pm and she finally left the chicken house at 2pm. She laid her first egg yesterday. Any information is helpful.

Your hen is looking for a place to make a nest.

 

[PirateGirl]

No. They don’t lay at the exact same time every day. I’ve had hens lay as late as 4:00 in the afternoon.

 

[aart]

Normal.

I moved one of the ceramic eggs onto the ground so maybe she will clutch it and have an easier time.

If you want her to lay in the crate, take about half the straw out of the crate and 'bowl' it out then add fake egg back in.

 

[jlwquilter]

No. They don’t lay at the exact same time every day. I’ve had hens lay as late as 4:00 in the afternoon.

Last week 2 of my australorps laid while everyone else was literally settling onto the roost boards. I thought for sure they were starting to go broody. Nope. They left the nest boxes later and roosted like normal. And I had 2 more eggs to add to the days total. They both did skip laying the next day as I anticipated.

Hens do weird things.

Your girl is just figuring out how she wants to handle this beautiful new task called egg laying. Enjoy the process!

 

[aart]

Last week 2 of my australorps laid while everyone else was literally settling onto the roost boards. I thought for sure they were starting to go broody.

I've had some late layers, pulled them out of the nest to put onto the roost after dark and they laid right in my hand. I felt bad, but<shrugs>.

 

[ButterflyEggs]

Thank you everybody! She laid yesterday around 4pm and now at 6pm is exhibiting the same behavior. I appreciate all the input for sure and will create a nest. I thought I just had to lay the eggs in there.

 

[aart]

I appreciate all the input for sure and will create a nest. I thought I just had to lay the eggs in there.

Crate just might feel cosier(safer) with less bedding...but newly laying birds are kind of nuts.

New layers can be quite goofy acting, they don't know what they are doing at first and can be confused and anxious, it can take up to a month or so before they get it all figured out. Putting some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest might help show them where to lay. They may scratch around in the nests for weeks before laying, spreading the bedding everywhere. They will scratch around a bit less in nest as they get used to the routine. Meanwhile, eggs everywhere, some of them can be rather funky looking, soft or thin shelled, huge double yolked eggs.

 

[ButterflyEggs]

Crate just might feel cosier(safer) with less bedding...but newly laying birds are kind of nuts.

New layers can be quite goofy acting, they don't know what they are doing at first and can be confused and anxious, it can take up to a month or so before they get it all figured out. Putting some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest might help show them where to lay. They may scratch around in the nests for weeks before laying, spreading the bedding everywhere. They will scratch around a bit less in nest as they get used to the routine. Meanwhile, eggs everywhere, some of them can be rather funky looking, soft or thin shelled, huge double yolked eggs.

I now have another problem.... my rooster is trying to mount her as she is laying. Oh the joys, other than processing him... what can I possibly do. I don't have a method to separate him.