Can a person dowse for eggs? Cinnamon and Nutmeg have found another away-from-coop spot, and I've yet to discover it. They've been hiding their eggs going on four weeks now...[I'm not serious about the dowsing. But then again... Oh, and Chance: I do plan to get those ceramic eggs from Hobby Lobby that you recommended. The dogs found the prior wooden decoy egg, and chewed it up. Dogs. *sigh*]
Post on weekend tree planting coming up, around 6:00AM-ish.
i used to have a couple of RIR hens that would lay anywhere but the coop! it drove me crazy. even if i kept them locked up.....i swear they held those eggs until they could make a break for it! then i'd find 25 eggs somewhere and have no idea how old they were so i'd have to toss 'em! blechhhhh! i know how frustrated you must be!
ReplyDelete"free range" chickens are great, but the eggs you lose is not. If you decide to get any more chicks, my suggestion is that you keep them cooped up until they "learn" that the nesting boxes are where the eggs need to go. Then you can let them out every once and awhile for exercise. Happy dowsing!
ReplyDeleteYup, I agree with Snow, coop them until they start using the nest box, and then let them out and if they start laying somewhere else coop them again. Chickens are clever, they'll suss out that laying in the nest box means freedom. Also, you might try not letting them out too early in the morning...maybe if they learn that they are in the coop till they lay...
ReplyDelete@all: I gotta get crackin' on making a larger coop. The one that Spouse made is good for the girls to lay in, but not big enough for keeping them... well, cooped up. Way too small.
ReplyDelete@jayedee: I'm laughing at the thought of your chickens crossing their eggs, holding their breath, squeezing their ovapositors until they can make a break for the outdoors...
ReplyDelete