dogs and chickens Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Hi All, One of my hens has taken to laying while walking along Is this normal? She did it yesterday, and I just thought it was a one off, but again today she did the same thing. She was walking along and her legs got more and more bent then an egg shot out and she just carried on walking as if nothing had happened Very weird! She stared laying before she came here, she is 25/26 weeks old. I am worried that maybe she only realised she needs to lay too late, tries to get to the nesting box (up a ladder in both houses!) can't get up the ladder and just produces (although she was not heading for a nesting box when I saw her). Should I build her a nesting box, at ground level? Has anyone had to do this, and how would I go about this? Or should I not worry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphorus Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 No experience here as yet, but I'm sure I have heard others on here talking about chickens doing that. Sure someone else will help you out with all the answers Andrea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted March 19, 2008 Author Share Posted March 19, 2008 Andrea, Thanks and love the flying elephant!!! Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 We have had the odd egg in the run....usually at the most inaccessible point. Maybe she hasn't quite worked out what the sensations are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Oh, I'm sorry that did make me laugh!! Haven't experienced this myself but some people leave fake eggs in the nest box to encourage them to lay there, otherwise, if you know roughly what time she is going to lay you could confine her to the cube if you're around? Other than that I don't know what to suggest I'm afraid. Maybe she's just to busy to ever stop and sit down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 I have the fake eggs in the nesting box, but to be honest I don't think she has ever been in either! So maybe I need to go and place her in there! Poor thing I feel sorry her her! I guess I may have to except she just lays in the run!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 I have decided to get a couple of these to pop in the run. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CHICKEN-DUCK-EGG-LAYING-BOX-BROODY-N-R_W0QQitemZ190207936218QQihZ009QQcategoryZ46292QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem At least then I will feel I am doing all I can to make sure they are laying in the right place!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 One of mine used to do exactly this when they first started laying and they were free-ranging - sometimes she never seemed to even notice she'd laid it, but once both hens saw it and thought it was some sort of treat so started pecking it, only just got to it in time! Anyway, I started keeping them in the eglu run until they'd laid, then they were allowed out, and I put the laid eggs in the nest for a couple of hours after they'd been laid in the run and they learnt to lay in the nest. They still panicked when they were free-ranging and needed to lay, but when I heard them panicking (and on occasion trying to make a nest in a cupboard!!) I threw some corn in the run and they'd go in and realise where the nest was! Took a while but we don't get any random eggs on the lawn anymore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 Oh bless your hens! You clearly have done a great job . Gold star to you! She seems to lay about 3 in the afternoon, I tryed to catch her today to pop her in the cube run, she was having none of it!!!! I did not think of the corn though. I shall do that tomorrow. However she still has not laid today, so maybe I should go up there now. But then again, she may not lay today . I have had seven eggs today, all in the correct place, however I know that none of them are hers as her's are green blue! I must go and check for eggs quickly, thanks so much for the great advice. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
