Will they start using the nesting boxes?

[aart]

Thanks! The only problem with that is that that will also partially block off the window. I can however do it at least temporarily to teach them other habits. Or alternatively get hold of a plastic board of some kind so it'll still let the light through.

You could use fencing instead of a board.

 

[Agathe]

You could use fencing instead of a board.

Great idea!

 

[Agathe]

Wohoo! One hen has laid in the nest today! No eggs outside the nests yet, they seem to be slow to get started though, it's past noon already. But I hope this is the beginning of the end of the eggs on the floor problem.

 

[aart]

they seem to be slow to get started though, it's past noon already

They don't always lay at the same time every day, it tends to shift by a couple of hours.

It takes about 25 hours for an egg to form, a new ova is released shortly after an egg is laid.

A new egg could be laid approximately every 25-26 hours, so an hour or so later every day until one is laid late in the day and another ova might not be released until the following day, so a day off. BUT..every hen is different and only time will tell what a particular hen/pullets schedule might be. Not every hen/pullet lays every day..some only lay a few a week.

 

[Agathe]

They don't always lay at the same time every day, it tends to shift by a couple of hours.

It takes about 25 hours for an egg to form, a new ova is released shortly after an egg is laid.

A new egg could be laid approximately every 25-26 hours, so an hour or so later every day until one is laid late in the day and another ova might not be released until the following day, so a day off. BUT..very hen is different and only time will tell what a particular hen/pullets schedule might be. Not every hen/pullet lays every day..some only lay a few a week.

I did not know that! I've kept heard that they usually lay in the morning before noon, which they have here so far with a couple of exceptions. But that is good to know. I've been running in and out of the coop all morning because I just wanted to keep an eye on how they were doing and making sure no eggs ended up getting broken or eaten.

 

[Rooster20]

My hens have just started laying. Only two eggs so far. But both of them have been on the floor. Will the start using the nesting boxes by themselves eventually, or is there something I should do to encourage them? I have 6 nesting boxes, all in a fairly standard size I believe. They are raised from the floor and are lined with hay. Should I use something else than hay? I otherwise use pine shavings in the coop. I have a fairly thin layer of hay, should I add more? There are 5 hens and 6 boxes so plenty to choose from.

Yes, at first, the hens will lay eggs anywhere!!! They'll use the nesting boxes soon enough. They just have to get used to laying eggs first.

 

[Agathe]

Yes, at first, the hens will lay eggs anywhere!!! They'll use the nesting boxes soon enough. They just have to get used to laying eggs first.

Thanks so much! I figured it could be something like that as I suspect two of the eggs have been laid while roosting and it appears to have come unexpectedly on them. Good to know it might correct itself.

 

[Rooster20]

Thanks so much! I figured it could be something like that as I suspect two of the eggs have been laid while roosting and it appears to have come unexpectedly on them. Good to know it might correct itself.

Yeah, our hens just started laying, so they're using the nesting boxes now.

 

[629864]

Golf balls might work.

Golf balls did work for us. Problem is, 4 of the 12 goofballs we put in went missing. So I'm afraid we've unwittingly murdered a handful of ratsnakes.

 

[629864]

Three eggs today. Two were on top of the nesting boxes. The downside with that is that it's a hard surface so they both had cracked. So to prevent that I made some changes to the structure so I could add pine shavings on top of the surface. I can't use hay as one of the roosters and occasionally one hen likes to sleep there instead of on the roosts. It will just be too hard to keep clean. The third egg was outside. At least they're somehow getting that they need to collect the eggs in one place, just wish they'd to that in the nesting boxes! If they decide to go on top of them though it's not a big deal because at least they don't spend any time up there during the day time.

I had three hens that insisted on laying out in the yard. One under a tree and two shared a spot near an outbuilding. We've lost all three of those hens to predators. Inside the henhouse, nearly half of our hens insist on laying on the floor in the back corner under the roosting bars. I just collect the eggs three times a day and don't even try to make them change their habits. Only 5 of the 9 nesting boxes get used....and 2 of them by multiple hens. So, yes, they have their favorite spots and nothing is going to budge them.