Guest Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Attila has just started laying but doesnt lay in the nest box. She laid the first egg en-route to me (i had hot porridge ) but today she had laid the egg in the dirt bath. I've taken one of the sliders out of the nest box as she likes to sit in there on wet days and i noticed its a bit of a tight squeeze - so there is now one double open next box and a single one next to it. Is there anyway i encourage her to lay in the box? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 You can put a rubber egg in there, I think I've heard someone also used golf balls and it also worked. Rubber egg method worked for me, didn't think it would but Marmite lays in the nest box now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 They often lay the first couple of eggs in strange places - it's like they're taken by surprise . You may find the next one in the nest box but there's no harm in putting a pot/rubber egg or golf ball in there anyway . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jellybean29 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 One of my girls did this today, shes been laying for 2 years now and always laid in the nest box but today she decided to lay one right in the middle of the lawn??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-real-tinkerbell Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 one of my girls popped one out this evening while my son was holding her ,im sure she will get the hang of it soon enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElvisFan Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 First couple of times mine were laying all over the place and if Mayday is comfortable on mylap she will still lay there, makes each one a suprise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I had one who seemed to be 'egg incontinent' so every time I saw her looking like she might lay, I popped her in the nestbox. Something must have worked as she always lays in there now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Ahhhh, I knew you guys would know. I'll try a golf ball. Thank you xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Was on the way out with said golf ball but she had laid today's egg at the top of the ladder and it had bumped down the steps and cracked...I managed to scoop it up so will scramble this and they can have it in with their porridge this morning (maybe there's method in her madness!!). There was also a huge (105g) egg this morning (think Ginger) which was a bit misshapen and looked a bit odd - I take it this is nothing to worry about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 No, early eggs are often a tad odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jill the potter Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Barbara laid in the WIR for a week before she got the hang of laying in the nest box. She would actually go in the eglu for a while, then come out and lay!!! She seems to have got the hang of it now, but as they are all laying there is sometimes a queue, with two in there and one pacing up and down outside, very funny to watch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 there is sometimes a queue, with two in there and one pacing up and down outside, very funny to watch It's always funny to witness a 'legs crossed' moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneyolktoanother Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 it took ours a couple of weeks to get the hang of it, i'm sure she will too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margalot Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I am having the same trouble!... Henny Penny has come into lay, been in and out of the nesting box, turfed out 2 of the others been really noisy , and making a fuss then laid the egg on the run floor!. I found her egg 3 days ago and wondered who laid it then saw all the fuss going on yesterday, came home hoping to find 3 eggs in the nest box, but just 2 and a piece of shell in the run, so she obviously laid and then they ate it! I hope she gets the hang of it as there are eggs in the nest box when she goes in so she must see them, it really is as if she doesnt know what to do! but one thing she certainly lets us all know! What a racket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I had one hen a few years back who dithered about so much when she first started laying that I shut her in the Eglu for half an hour - she soon laid in the nest box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Blimey...it's all happening today, at lunchtime I found 2 'empty' latex feeling 'eggs' - but the 4 hens who are laying have all done so today...would these eggs be from the 2 youngest hens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Might be *shrugs* pullets sometimes lay shell-less eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Yay! Attila laid in the nestbox today! The golf ball worked! Today we got 5 eggs Not sure who isn't laying yet, it's either Thistle or Olive. Gordon decided today that the girls need more space, so is currently constructing a pen on grass - I'm thinking these hens have us well trained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JillM Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Sounds sensible, Claret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 The lemon drizzle cake made with 4 of the 5 eggs was gonein a couple of hours last night - every teenager that passed through seemed to leave munching!! It was delicious! The girls are f/r in their new space - much happy clucking going on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4942/lemon-drizzle-cake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
