beach chick Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I had my suspicions one of the girls was laying elsewhere, and this morning I caught her emerging from the day lilies - had a look, and found 6 eggs there! questions: I know they can only have been laid since Thursday, so I think they'll be ok to use? and do I carry on letting her lay there, now I've found the place, or do I put a football or something there and hope she goes back to the nesting box? -or finds somewhere else, and I have to search the garden again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 When mine does that I shut her in the run at about the time she's going to lay and let her out again afterwards. That usually works if you do it for a couple of days! Bella is a monkey for laying in the flowerbeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted July 24, 2007 Author Share Posted July 24, 2007 the plot thickens... just went out to check on the girls, the Bluebell I thought was the dirty stop out is in the nesting box, the other 3 are sunbathing - and meanwhile there are 2 more eggs that I missed earlier in the daylilies!!! yet we've still been getting 3 in the nesting box every day... I guess either I keep them all shut in till they've laid (which 4 big chooks in the standard run wont like), or I just hope that this is their preferred 'other' nest, and remember to keep an eye on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Oh dear! I don't always catch Bella in time, but at least now I know her favourite spots so, providing it's not raining too hard, I trawl the garden if she misses a day laying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted July 24, 2007 Author Share Posted July 24, 2007 I had my suspicions yesterday, because after a couple of 4 egg days last week, I was only getting 3... (I know, nowt to complain about!) so I had a good hunt about in all the obvious places yesterday and found nothing. I will just have to keep my eyes open and make sure I keep checking!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 right, I think its time to get tough! when I let them out this morning 2 were in the nestbox and I thought the other 2 were queueing.... however, only 2 eggs in the nest - and none in the hideyhole I found yesterday or anywhere else I can find. so tomorrow they can stay in til they've all laid!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Mine are always laying 'garden eggs' Beach Chick - sometimes it takes me a while to find them - last week, I found a batch of 13 eggs inthe woodpile - deep inside I float tested them all, and they were all fresh and tasted delicious. I've given up on trying to get them to lay in the nest box - they all lay at random times during the day, so I just need to trawl the garden when I haven't had many and see if I can find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
