shaky Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Hi all Learning loads,cheers guys. Well I've had a egg for 6 days on the trot now all laid in the nestbox. But....... Yesterday and today I have found a egg in the run and in the coop smashed. One of my new girls doesn't seem to have found the nestbox! Has anyone else encountered this.....any advice appreciated!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Sometimes it takes them a while to get the hang of things.....and if there is already someone in the nestbox, they can be caught short. Why not put a couple of golf balls in the nest to give them a signal that this is the place to lay eggs if it is down to inexperience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daj198 Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 I hear that putting a rubber egg in the nest box encourages them to use that and not the run. I have never tried it myself as I believe it can cause the chickens to go broody- and then you'd get no eggs! Here are some links if you want to give it a go: http://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/shop.php?cat=Chicken%20Extras&sub=general&product_id=743 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bouncy-BROWN-Rubber-Eggs-Broody-Tricks-Magic-hatching_W0QQitemZ300215296936QQihZ020QQcategoryZ46292QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LARGE-RUBBER-POULTRY-DUCK-EGGS-CHICKEN-HATCHING-EGGS_W0QQitemZ120246467105QQihZ002QQcategoryZ46292QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hennymom Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 please excuse me for ambushing your post but at what stage do you introduce/open up the nesting boxes? we have had them closed off till now our girls are 16 weeks when should we open them up and present them ready for use..or should we wait till they actually lay? thanks for letting me gatecrash... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaky Posted April 13, 2008 Author Share Posted April 13, 2008 No probs....I've never blocked off the nestbox......just gone out every nght and gently removed any of my girls onto the roost if they've settled down in the box, all 3 roosted for 5 nights on the trot, last couple of nights I've had to move my red out and I've a feeling she might be the one thats started laying so may have created the problem myself??? I've left her tonight to see if she lays in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
