4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[zmurffi]

None or my 3 chooks have laid yet - they are 20-22 weeks old (not sure which is which age) Korma has been crouching occasionally to me and is the most confident in the garden. I have been away for a few days and they have been in the run most of the time as hubby works shifts, he let them out on his day off to roam in the garden and did say Korma was quite submissive to him. Today she has been very adventurous while I was cleaning the Eglu, looking in different parts of the garden (even those she should not be in). About 45 minutes ago she went into the Eglu, kicked the fresh straw about a bit and has settled down in the nest box. She is very quiet. Is she trying to lay her first egg or is she going broody. The other two are snoozing over the other side of the garden in the shade.

 

How long should I leave her before I have a look? I don't want to disturb her if she is trying to lay.

[Ness3103]

she might be laying ebony took at least 2 hours to lay her first egg and she still takes ages. the other girls go in and lay their eggs while she's in there, they get fed up waiting for her to finish

 

you must be very excited

[zmurffi]

Hooorrray, we had an egg . It wasn't in the nest box though, about 5 minutes after I put this on the forum Korma came out. About an hour later she was back in the run dustbathing in a crater that I noticed had been made. About 10 minutes later I went out again and all 3 were in the run, Korma in the crater and the other two laying down either side of her, to my surprise I noticed an egg sitting next to her so I presume it is hers as the other haven't shown any signs yet.

 

My husband is now a bit worried that she will lay in the run all the time. Do you think she will do this or go to the nest box - is there anything we can do to make them lay in the nest box?