should we be worried that our first eggs weren't in the box

[miless2111s]

We had our first eggs today!!! Sadly one was outside the run under a bush (not to unexpected I guess) but the other was in the run in the sun where they relax. Should we be worried that they're not in the nest box or is this normal? If we need to do something to help them lay where we want them to - what is it?

Thanks

Miles
PS one of the reasons we are keen to avoid this issue is that they both got trampled, thankfully the yoke isn't broken so no one has the idea of eating them yet but it will not take long I fear....

 

[dinosaw]

The first thing to do Miles is to keep them inside the run for the next couple of days so that they don't get into the habit of laying under bushes which can be difficult to break. Secondly you can either get yourself what are called pot eggs, basically eggs made from plaster, and put them in your nest boxes or failing that put some bought eggs in the nest boxes to encourage them to lay there, this almost always does the trick. They did have access to the nest boxes I assume, the coop door hadn't closed accidentally or anything like that?

 

[miless2111s]

Thanks for the quick reply dinosaw. As far as I know the coop was still available, we'll have to look in to the fake egg bit.

Regards

Miles

 

[miless2111s]

Quick follow on question; should we keep them in the run for the whole day? We're used to letting then run around in the afternoon or evening but if we need to avoid setting up a hard to break habit we will keep them in all day.
I assume that hard boiled eggs will do for the fake eggs?

 

[Marigold]

Good ideas from Dinosaw, but also it's not unusual for pullets to lay in odd places at first, until they get into the swing of things. I expect they sometimes just get taken short before they come to realise what's going to happen to them.
Do you think they lay fairly early in the day? Once they've laid you can let them out as there won't be another egg until the next day.

 

[dinosaw]

Normal eggs will do, no need to boil them, I am so used to thin shelled bought eggs over here now that I forgot that british eggs are perfectly sturdy. As Marigold says they can take a few days to find their bearings, under a bush isn't so unusual as it is a natural site for a chicken to lay where they would feel secure, which is also why it could easily become the regular nesting site. In the the run is a bit more unusual as they prefer a dark protected place, has happened to me before but only when they have not been able to access the coop.

 

[miless2111s]

Thanks for the replies, we've kept them in all day (much to their disgust) and no new eggs. Is it normal to have a false start? Or do we have to keep them in till they earn their freedom?

 

[dinosaw]

Yes, once chickens have a taste of freedom they are not at all happy about having it taken away, just keep them in until they lay again, if they are hybrids that will probably be tomorrow. You will find that when you have to worm them they will need to be kept in for a full week and then you will see chicken moaning at whole new level. Completely normal to have an irregular laying pattern, soft shelled eggs and double double yolks during the first month or so of laying as they settle in.