Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[karlotta]

I've had my girls for two weeks today, Valerie has laid 6 eggs so far, each safely nestled in the nest box, but today I came home from work to find another egg in the run! I suspect it's Sally as she has a HUGE comb and wattles or maybe Delilah. Very Exciting!!!

 

Is there likely to be a reason she laid in the run? I'm worried if she's going to lay there they might get broken - i'd hate for them to get a taste for egg! Can I encourage her to use the nest? Might it just be because she's a beginner?

[karlotta]

Any ideas?

[Purplemaniacs]

As she is a beginner perhaps laying the egg took her by surprise and she did not have time to get to the nest box, I did wonder if Valerie was already in the nest box but as you have a cube there is plenty of room for two

 

Perhaps try putting a ceramic egg in the nest box to give Sally a clue, or you could use golf balls if you don't have a ceramic egg. I tried that with one of mine who lays her eggs on the roosting bars, it didn't work for me Ebony has laid all 106 eggs on the bars but I think others have been successful using this method.

 

Chrissie

[Yolky]

I got one in the run the other day, I am thinking the reason was because a)she is a beginner and b) another hen was sitting in the box when she wanted to lay.

[karlotta]

Thanks for the reply... i think the nesting box was vacant as Valerie laid early in the am... I'll have to try and rustle up a ceramic egg or golf ball!