Solitary chicken - need advice

[h&schickens]

Let hens out about 7.30 into their run! No eggs in nesting boxes as per usual. Returned half hour ago and thought i was seeing things at first (egg in middle of the run). It was really small but perfectly shaped but had a couple of holes in it. Obviously had been pecked at. Dont have any idea who layed it, but I was hoping my 1st egg and all others would be layed in the nesting boxes in the shed.

 

Will this be a one off cause its the first egg?

[Imo]

Sometimes they do lay eggs in funny places - it may be because it's a first egg, they aren't quite used to whole process yet. Are they familiar to the nesting boxes you have in your shed? I know sometimes people use rubber eggs in the nest to try and encourage their birds to lay there.

[surferdog]

My Sylvie laid her first egg in the run during the excitement of the afternoon treats coming in. I had to dive through the scrum to save it from their big feet! After that they all lay in the nest box (unless it's a softie in which case it's wherever they happen to be at the time )

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Don't worry. Two of our 3 hens laid their first egg in the run. Probably didn't know what was about to happen

 

We put a wooden egg we got from a secondhand shop in the nest overnight after the first egg and they are all using the nest now. Once one has got the idea it seems the others follow.

 

Kilo laid 2 thin shelled eggs on her second day in the run because the nest was in use and she obviously couldn't hold on to them. However, she's on the nest today as we post this reply

 

It does seem they sort themselves out. Good idea to watch out for them pecking softies though & intervene early.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Our first egg was laid in the run too . I put a couple of golfballs in the nestbox. Whether that did it or not, I don't know, but every single subsequent egg has been in the nest box (apart from a couple that obviously got turfed out by the next hen that went in ).

[ajm200]

One of ours made a nest under a shrub when she first started laying but after being confined to the run for 24 hours she found the nesting box and has used it ever since.

 

I left the eggs that the others had laid in there while they were all locked in to help her take the hint.

[h&schickens]

Thanks for all the replies!! We have had golf balls in the nesting boxes since day one (3 weeks ago). Hopefully its a one off that the first was laid in the run. Should I expect another egg in the morning???

[druids57]

Ha an egg doesnt matter where it was laid an egg is an egg Sarah Congratulations

Druidx

[h&schickens]

cheers druid, think I was getting on peoples nerves at work talking about it!! Going to Oulton Park for the superbikes for the weekend and wanted to be the first to see the 1st egg!! Thank god it came before my dad looks after them!!

[WitchHazel]

Scarlett laid her first two eggs in the Run, despite us having dummy eggs in the nestbox, and Delilah laying in the nestbox every day.

 

From day 3 she laid in the nestbox, although we did also have a cople of softrees in the poop tray over a couple of days,