splattered eggs!

[vicky]

For the last couple of weeks one of the ex batts has been laying whilst sitting on the perch, as it's about 2ft off the ground I have been finding a splattered egg on the floor most mornings!
I thought the problem would sort itself out as the egg laying time should change a little every day, but it's still happening!
The shell is ok on the egg, not soft at all.
I might remove the perch for a bit to see it that helps at all, anyone think of any other solution???

[shirlthegirl43]

Remove or lower the perch is the only suggestion I can come up with.

The problem is that the poor battery hen doesn't have a special place to sit comfortably and lay her egg so it probably takes a while for them to change their habits. Maybe put a china or rubber egg in the next box to help them get the message.

[HayleyB]

They seem to suss when you use fake eggs in the nest boxes, I'm hoping one of my whites breaks her beak on my marble egg as I caught her egg eating today and replaced the egg with the marble one, bless her

[MaureenHall]

A little trampoline under the perch would do it



ooooooooooops, sorry. I'll get me coat

[HayleyB]

There's room on the Norty Step Aunty Mo

Poor chooks will bump their heads on the ceiling

[chicken slave]

screw a small shelf to the bottom of the perch until they figure out where the dummy eggs are and start laying in the nest boxes. If you fill it with straw the eggs should survive and poo scooping will be easy. It only needs to stick out 3" or so, if they are like mine and sleep with there bottoms pulled in and under (have to try that myself).

[Hashette]

I'd suggest fake rubber eggs in the nest boxes as well. My ex-bats got the hang of it in a couple of days with those in there, and they're really not the brightest pennies in the fountain

Well, apart from Ginger who is the brains of the outfit and will be attending one of the Cambridge colleges if she's still around in 16 years' time

[vicky]

I've had them over a year and they have laid in the nest boxes almost from day one....This problem has only started over the last month or so....I think she's laying when she's asleep!
I will take out the perch for now so she can lay on the floor.

There is almost room to get the toddler's trampoline in there! Although at 2 years old he's not very good at sharing - he will be really cross to see them bouncing away on it!

[Suechooks]

If you've got room you could put a tyre in for them to roost on if you take the perch out. I have one in my hut as well as the perches and some sleep on there instead.

[Snadger]

There's one of my chooks waits until the nestbox is full of eggs then goes and lays a softie on top with the results being all eggs covered in yolk and albumen!