Floor eggs?

[chickenbritt5908]

My bantam pullet has randomly started laying her eggs on the floor of the coop. I’ve read that newly laying pullets will do that, or if there isn’t enough, clean litter in the nesting boxes. But this girl has been laying for months and I just put clean bedding in the boxes. Seems really random. Yesterday I found 3 of her eggs on the ground. Tonight I found 1. What are some other causes for this? I’m not concerned, just curious.

 

[ShannonR]

Other hens pushing her out of the next box(es). They tend to all want to use one, maybe 2 boxes. Perhaps someone higher up on the totem pole changed her egg laying routine at the expense of your bantam..

Or maybe she doesn't like the new nest box bedding? Dunno.

 

[PioneerChicks]

You could try putting fake eggs in the best and hope she will catch on. Normally I just use real eggs and leave them in the coop for a day or two but now that it is cold the real eggs freeze a lot. That's all the advice I've got

 

[gtaus]

Good info on Laying Eggs On The Ground, a 2013 BYC thread answered by some BYC Educators. I can't do better than that.

 

[aart]

But this girl has been laying for months and I just put clean bedding in the boxes. Seems really random. Yesterday I found 3 of her eggs on the ground. Tonight I found 1. What are some other causes for this? I’m not concerned, just curious.

All from one day?
Are all the 'ground eggs' hard shelled?
And she laid in nests until recently?
Any new birds in the flock?
How old is she?
Sometimes they just slip out, or she's distracted, or something has her nervous.

 

[chickenbritt5908]

All from one day?
Are all the 'ground eggs' hard shelled?
And she laid in nests until recently?
Any new birds in the flock?
How old is she?
Sometimes they just slip out, or she's distracted, or something has her nervous.

I did get three in one day. But I’m pretty certain one was from the day before. She’s 8 months old. All her eggs are perfect. She has always laid in the boxes up until now. No new birds. ‍

 

[chickenbritt5908]

You could try putting fake eggs in the best and hope she will catch on. Normally I just use real eggs and leave them in the coop for a day or two but now that it is cold the real eggs freeze a lot. That's all the advice I've got

I do have fake eggs in there. Haha but it’s not really a big deal. Just thought, how random. But maybe somebody was in her favorite box and she just couldn’t wait?! Lol

 

[PioneerChicks]

Haha! A friend of mine has a hen who will suddenly make a dash for the meeting box, but can't make it to it (even though it is only a few feet away) and will instead lay it while running!

 

[chickenbritt5908]

Haha! A friend of mine has a hen who will suddenly make a dash for the meeting box, but can't make it to it (even though it is only a few feet away) and will instead lay it while running!

That’s hilarious!