Where to lay?

[salemtucker]

So two of my girls started laying for the first time the day before yesterday. My americauna was a good girl and layer in the nesting box, but whoever else is laying has decided to lay on the shelf instead. I didn't realize anyone else was laying until I was going through my tools, and there they were, two beautiful brown eggs right next to each other on the shelf. This morning she mashed down a bag of cedar chip bedding for the rabbit and made a nice round nest out of it and layed another egg (on the bag not in the chips). Is there any way to get them to use the nesting boxes?

 

[Peeps61]

Yep. Lock them in so that they have to use the boxes. Mine will use the dog crate in the big coop, or the nesting boxes in the small coop. They also make a nest in the hay behind the nesting boxes and lay there too. When I allow them to free range, they still mostly lay in the boxes, but I get a renegade here and there that likes to lay on top of the rabbit's cage.

 

[salemtucker]

They are locked in the barn all night (I converted a pole barn into a chicken coop). All of the benches and stuff are in the pole barn. The whole thing is their coop so I think I am just going to have to go on an egg hunt every time I go in there. Thank you for your response.
Christine

 

[Peeps61]

Mine have their coops under the pole barn, so when I let them out, they get all over the farm equipment and the rabbit cages. The hay in the nesting boxes is their preferred place to lay, but they'll lay on the ground in the middle of my husband's spray cans and other areas as well. It's a mini Easter Egg hunt for me too, sometimes.

 

[salemtucker]

I'm just hoping none of the girls lay in a "hiding place" within the next few weeks. I am having a major surgery and my husband will be caring for them while I am on a 2 week bed rest/super light duty. I call him captain obvious because he could be looking right at something and not see it. Fingers crossed that he does a good job with the girls!

 

[Peeps61]

I understand how you feel. No one can take care of our animals like we can! If I know that they have food, water and are being locked up in the evenings and let out in the mornings, I'm good. The eggs are a minor consideration as it won't hurt anything if they aren't collected every day. I always have a few that have been collected, then find about 3 times that many when I go out to check on things when I return from a trip out of town. Food, water and security. That's all that is needed when you are sick, convalescing or away. Simplify down and don't fret about it. Hope your surgery goes well!

BTW - I found two pullet eggs in my big girls nest yesterday, so my little girls are starting to lay! They are 17 weeks old today. I have 24 of them and a rooster the same age. My 8 older hens are 1 to 3 years old.