3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[Wantchooks]

Can anyone advise on this combination of questions? Sorry it's a bit longwinded...

 

I have had the girls for 3 weeks....and they have built up to 3 eggs per day (not sure who the freeloader is yet!).

 

They have been banned by a tray from the nesting box at night and the eggs usually appear in the box in the morning after I have let them into the run.

 

Have had a couple of soft eggs found under the bars - no idea when they have been dropped - not too worried after reading all the advice on here. They have access to ordinary grit and are on mash with the odd corn treat.

 

However, when I went to let them out yesterday morning, (at 0630am!)there was a kerfuffle in the cube and one didn't come out. Opened the eggport hatch and she was glaring up at me, having shoved a tub trug and tray out of the way and there was already a nice warm egg in the straw! She must have been busting!

Got two other eggs later on in the morning.

 

So last night I decided (again after reading the forum advice) not to block up the nest box as I really cannot get up before six at the moment to open up the nestbox area, and clear up any poo that may ensue.

 

When I let them out this morning again at 0630am- one cold egg in the box, and TWO softies dropped through the bars.

 

SO -

Is it normal for them to lay before 0530ish?

 

Does one girl dropping one in the box "set" off the others, whether they are ready to drop or not - and is that why the eggs were soft?

 

Is this connected and should I persevere with blocking off the nestbox even though it's likely one will fight her way in at 5am? Will it hurt her to wait or will she lay where she is if she gets the urge!

 

This is worse than looking after my DH and DS - and they take some looking after!

 

I have a really important EXAM tomorrow so please can someone take me by the hand, point out the obvious , and let me get back to my textbooks

[Surfnirvana]

Hi there

 

Orignally my chooks all roosted on the bars for the first few weeks and layed their eggs in the nest box, but then one of them (Rose - top hen) realised that actually it was more comfy to sleep overnight in the nest box, swiftly followed by Doris and Louie. Betty still roosts on the bars ( but probably only because there is no more room for her in the nest box), but she does roost near to the others.

 

I didn't try to move them and even though they do poo a bit in the straw nest box, at least when they get the urge to lay (and quite often it is early in the morning) they can do. I'm happy for them to stay in the nest box now.

 

I would suggest you leave the next box free, and let them lay when they are ready. When you go and let them out in the morning, just pick out the poo from the next box area. If there is any poo on the eggs, just gently wipe it off with a cloth.

 

Regarding the softees, if they are young hens and just started to lay, they are probably just getting all their gear together and a few softees is quite normal. Just keep an eye on them, reduce the treats so they eat their pellets, which supplies them with all the nutrients they need, and I'm sure they will be fine.

 

Good luck with your exams!

Lynne