Training Hens to Lay in Boxes

We’ve all had that one or two hens who love to lay their eggs in the most surprising places We had a hen that sat on the front seat of the side-by-side every single day, and left us a tan egg There was also our hen Dotty, who loved to lay her eggs in the dog bed, making the perfect organic dog treats Although it can be funny later, when you can’t find your chickens’ eggs, it can become frustrating very quickly

 

There are several reasons why a hen would prefer to lay her eggs anywhere other than the nesting

How to Clean Chicken Nesting Boxes

Chickens are beautiful, friendly (most of them anyway), and wonderful birds But they are also very messy! I feel like Pinterest chicken coops give you a false idea of how clean (or lack thereof) raising backyard chickens can be With that said, it’s actually very important to keep a clean coop!

 

How to Get Hens to Lay in Nest Boxes

Happy New Year! I hope you all made it through the holidays with abundant joy and laughter Since it’s the middle of the winter, our girls have slowed down a little bit in the egg department So, I’m going to take this opportunity to try and “retrain” them to lay in the nesting box I have a very nice, roll out nesting box but the girls prefer the coop floor! I have no idea why this is, but they definitely prefer the floor Honestly? It

Tips and Tricks to Get Your Chickens to Lay Eggs in Nesting Boxes

Encouraging chickens to lay in their nesting boxes is sometimes easier said than done While many chickens will naturally gravitate to their nesting boxes, sometimes they need a little encouragement to lay their eggs in the convenient boxes you give them

 

Here’s how to encourage nest box laying in your backyard flock

First, make sure you have the right number of nesting boxes The general rule of thumb on nesting boxes is three to four chickens per nesting box If you have 12 chickens, you want four nesting boxes

If you have too many nesting boxes, the chickens might start sleeping in

Harvesting Clean Eggs: Tips to Collecting Eggs That Don’t Require Any Washing

“To wash or not to wash” seems to be a big question when it comes to farm fresh eggs Some people prefer them washed; others (like me) prefer their eggs untouched I’m often asked how I clean my freshly harvested eggs, but truth is, I don’t They go straight from the hens hiney, to the nesting box, then to the egg cartons No cleaning in between When you have a flock of 50 hens (and counting, yikes),

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What Do You Need in a Chicken Coop? Your Essential Equipment Checklist

Your chicks have arrived, your coop is built, and now you want to give your flock the best possible life The trouble is, walk into any farm store or scroll through a poultry catalog, and you will see shelves of gear that all look essential So, what do you need in a chicken coop, and what is simply a nice-to-have that can wait? The good news is that the real list of must-have coop equipment is short, affordable, and easy to get right the first time Let’s walk through exactly what your chickens need to stay

Tips on Keeping Your Coop Clean

Your chickens may be pretty and clean themselves, but without your help, they probably won’t keep their coop clean  Cleaning the coop doesn’t have to be a major ordeal though  There are a few things that you can consider when designing your coop that will help to keep it clean  There are also some things that you can quickly do each day that will take less than five minutes

Coop Design

Are you thinking about building a coop from scratch or modifying the one that you have to make it better?  There are a few things that you can do inside

How to Encourage Chickens to Lay in Nesting Boxes: 4 Proven Methods

That moment when your spring pullets start laying their first eggs is one of the best parts of keeping chickens After months of feeding, watering, and watching them grow, finding those first little eggs feels like a real reward What is not so rewarding is the daily Easter egg hunt that happens when your hens decide a hidden corner of the yard is better than the cozy boxes you built for them If you want to encourage chickens to lay in nesting boxes instead of scattering eggs everywhere, you are in good company, because nearly every flock owner runs