So far the chickens are laying 4-5 eggs a day. The problem comes in where they lay the eggs---all over the place. I found one today in the chicken tractor in the greenhouse, another under an old truck and another by the neighbors shack. I usually let them out after I feed them and right before I go to work---about 9:30AM and lock them up for the nite about 8PM.

I was thinkin, maybe the nesting boxes are too small (12 x 12" x 12") but then at nite there's three of them in one box. Whazzup?

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

Answers

Since it sounds like your chickens are having free range of the place (and then some), I think they're doing what comes naturally -- hiding their nests from predators (like you).

I was recently reading Ben Logan's book 'The Land Remembers' and he was talking about childhood escapades in relation to hunting for where the hens had hidden the eggs all over the farm and even into the woods. After a while it got so that they could pretty well figure out the hens nest site preferences, except for the time he reached down into the hole under the floor one hen was using and grabbed the black snake that had eaten the eggs by mistake.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

John-are you leaving an old egg in the nest box? Mom would scribble on one with pencil to mark it,and leave it there to attract them.Of course it will get rotten,so don't break it! My,your questions bring back a flood of pleasant memories.Thank You!

I have egg gourd that is used for the same purpose.With chickens,bigger IS better,when it comes to eggs anyway.I forget now who did those studies.Read it years back in my animal behavior studies.

Mom also kept them locked in a little late in the AM to force them to go there,but your timetable sounds good to me.I'll try to remember to ask her for any further pointers when I call her.

Otherwise they do as julie said. You will still have some who want to hide the nest and you will probably end up with peeps walking into the yard,unexpectedly, one day,if you have a rooster.That's cool,too.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

You can put white golf balls in your nests. The chickies can't tell the difference, and it should help them, maybe.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Yep, I believe nest egg is the trick. Sherry

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

I never let my chickens out til noon, anyways. They've all laid by then except for the occasion stubborn bantam!

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Well, my chickens must be psychic cause not only was it a record day (8 eggs) but they were all laid indoors at least, 4 in the nesting boxes, 3 in the first place they laid an egg and one in the chicken tractor---all in all an improvement.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

It's always a challenge to keep up with the hiding places. We found 44 eggs in a nest once, all from the same hen! We've also learnt that it is better to collect the eggs from the secret nests every day than to block them and have to start the search all over again.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001