KateP Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 One of my chickens has started to lay this week but all of her eggs so far have been on the roosting bars and not in the nesting box. I read on here that they sometimes lay soft shelled eggs on the bars but her eggs have all been fine. Is there anything I can do to encourage her to lay in the nesting box? There is straw in there and I change it regularly to keep it clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 Could you in some way block the roosting bars off? Do you think it has happened because someone else was in the nesting box at the time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KateP Posted October 25, 2007 Author Share Posted October 25, 2007 My other chicken hasn't started laying yet so I don't think she was in the nesting box and as far as I can tell no one is sleeping in there. She is also laying very early, by the time I go out to open the eglu door at 7.10am the egg is already there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiltyhen Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 My ex battery girls laid their first eggs on the bars thereafter they've been using the nestbox. I have noticed that they don't like too much straw in the box. When I clean them out and replace the straw in the nestbox they make a great fuss about removing it until there are only a few strands left. I have seen other posts suggesting using shredded paper. Another tip to try (seen elsewhere on this site!) is to put a pretend egg in the box to show them where to go. I think you can buy rubber eggs from agricultural supply merchants or try hard boiling an egg (shop one!) and putting it in. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanchick Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 My two gingernuts know perfectly well where the nesting box is as they laid in it for 2 months until recently. But for the last 3 or 4 weeks they have laid on the roosting bars early before I let them out. I've no idea why and it's a bit annoying, especially when I can't reach in to get them and I have to take the back off the cube. My pepperpot still lays happily in the nesting box though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 You can use a golf ball if you have one rather than buying pot or rubber eggs. Thats what we used to train them in the early days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KateP Posted October 25, 2007 Author Share Posted October 25, 2007 Thanks for the advice. I might try the golf ball first, OH has got plenty of spare ones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 Mine have all lay in the nest box consistently (except for the odd soft shelled egg on the bars). However, 1 chicken (and I don't know which) went through a 2 week long spell of laying perfectly normal eggs on the roosting bars very early (before 7am and before I had opened the eglu door for the day). I think it was just because Henny likes to sleep in the nest box and the others laying very early in the morning (before the door was open) couldn't get in the nest box. But now, they are all laying later after 10am, no problem and back to laying in the nest box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanchick Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 Henwatch, that may be what's happening in our house. The eggs are laid before I let them out and close to the nest box. I think I will check tonight to see if Mavis is hogging it and stopping the others form getting in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLS Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 One of my chickens has started to lay this week but all of her eggs so far have been on the roosting bars and not in the nesting box. I read on here that they sometimes lay soft shelled eggs on the bars but her eggs have all been fine. Is there anything I can do to encourage her to lay in the nesting box? There is straw in there and I change it regularly to keep it clean. Our first was on the bars and broke, which was a shame - are yours breaking on there? If not, it doesn't matter really - better than her squirreling them away somewhere you can't find them (we found a stash in the leaves in the corner of the garden this week and one had been eaten by something). But if they are breaking, the only thing I can think of is to put one in the egg box to set an example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexandra Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 I used the rubber egg solution Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elpolloloco! Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 we used arubber egg to show where to lay. it worked fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KateP Posted November 20, 2007 Author Share Posted November 20, 2007 I have tried a golf ball but she's still laying her eggs on the bars (none have broken though). I think I will have to buy a rubber egg from somewhere to see if that helps. Thanks for the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
