Tigiga Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 I provided my girls with a dust bath, a cat litter tray with a cover, this weekend and Pearl who had laid 2 eggs to date nicely in the cube's nest box laid her 3rd egg in the dust bath! This meant I had to go in the run to retrieve it! What does everyone think, should I remove the dust bath? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Sometimes they know when an egg isn't quite right and lay it somewhere other than the nestbox (or sometimes they seem to just get caught short!). I wouldn't do anything but wait and see - she'll probably lay the next one in the right place . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigiga Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 I will see what happens, but I think she might have thought that the dust bath was another nest box! The egg being only her 3rd is small but otherwise perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigiga Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Came home to another egg in the dust bath. For now I've taken the cover off, to see if She gets the message that it isn't another nest box! If that does not work, I will remove the dust bath! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Ah, didn't notice you said it's got a cover, that explains it . Definitely being seen as a second nestbox . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKMARCH Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 I have seen these and thought they looked like they would be good as an extra nest box and yours must agree, maybe she hasn't had enough time to get used to always laying in the nest yet or is a bit intimidated if there's another hen in there already. We have made a wooden divider in our cube nest box so have two separate nest boxes which makes it a bit darker and gives them some privacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigiga Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 Thanks! None of my other girls have started laying yet, and Pearl is the boss, so that is not it! The other hens move out of the way for Pearl. I think she saw it there and decided it was a good place to lay her egg, saves going upstairs, like having a downstairs bathroom for us! If she still lays in it even without the cover I will have to take it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigiga Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 Pearl is now laying in the nest box, removed the alternative (cat tray) as I went away last weekend and did not want my daughter who was looking after them to have something else to think/worry about that too. I will leave it for now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
