wrong spot to lay!

[rehsanipoor]

I'll check the dimensions in the morning.

Also in looking at pictures, I think I realized that what I have is not hay, but straw. Is that not good? Sorry to sound like such a non-educated chicken lady!

 

[rehsanipoor]

Maybe I will pick up hay at the feed store as well.

 

[StinkyAcres]

So is the consensus that I should leave them in the coop until mid-day and hope I don't find chicken demolition when I get home around noon?

They never laid in the run, right? I honestly don't see why you need to lock them in the coop. How many chickens do you have in there?

 

[StinkyAcres]

Maybe I will pick up hay at the feed store as well.

Straw is fine and probably better than hay. Chickens like to eat hay and it can get stuck in their crops.

 

[rehsanipoor]

So there are 9 chickens. 2 brahmas 4 marans 2 wyndottes 1 easter egger. We have never found any shells/egg remnants in the run. I have found little nests that they've dug in the dirt/bedding but they were always empty. Is that normal? The few times we've rescued a whole egg or found shell it's always in the coop in the same corner ,so I was thinking I should block that corner off.

 

[StinkyAcres]

So there are 9 chickens. 2 brahmas 4 marans 2 wyndottes 1 easter egger. We have never found any shells/egg remnants in the run. I have found little nests that they've dug in the dirt/bedding but they were always empty. Is that normal? The few times we've rescued a whole egg or found shell it's always in the coop in the same corner ,so I was thinking I should block that corner off.

How big is the coop and run? Do they have lots of space to forage in the run? It seems they are scratching/foraging in your current nest boxes. The "nests" you're seeing in the run are probably dust bathing areas.

 

[rehsanipoor]

The coop is 4x8 plus a the nesting box. Their run is 9.8x13, plus under the coop. They get at least an hour or two a day of free ranging in our yard (always supervised). This picture was taken before we added the nesting box.

 

[Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies]

Please send advice!

My girls have just begun laying. Unfortunately the only reason we know they are laying is because we found shells . One shell was in the nesting box (at least it was in the right place). So we made the nesting box into a "roll-away" situation.

A few pieces of info.
1. We opened up the nesting box to them a few weeks ago.
2, We put dummy eggs in the nesting box.
3. There is "fake grass" in the nesting box and plenty of space
2. I am not sure who is laying or eating the eggs as we have not caught anyone in the act.

A good way to do a roll away situation is to make a little fence to keep the eggs out of the chickens reach when the eggs roll out of the nesting spot. I'd also put in a fake egg to distract them

 

[rehsanipoor]

So now I'm just wondering if I should let them out into the run as usual. I think they were taking revenge on me for locking them up all morning!

 

[JennieLamb]

Please send advice!

My girls have just begun laying. Unfortunately the only reason we know they are laying is because we found shells . One shell was in the nesting box (at least it was in the right place). So we made the nesting box into a "roll-away" situation. Today there was the remains of an eaten egg in the coop where someone had made a little nest. Judging by egg color it came from a different chicken than the first one. I want to nip this in the bud before they develop bad habits!!

A few pieces of info.
1. We opened up the nesting box to them a few weeks ago.
2, We put dummy eggs in the nesting box.
3. There is "fake grass" in the nesting box and plenty of space
2. I am not sure who is laying or eating the eggs as we have not caught anyone in the act.

Make sure you have enough oyster shell mixed in their feed and they gen enough greens as well. We dont close up our feeders in coop at night either.