Training Hens to Lay Eggs
Training hens to lay eggs in right place is important for getting fresh eggs daily. Do your chickens lay their eggs on the ground, in hay bales, inside tall grass, outside the coop or anywhere except the nesting boxes inside the coop? If so, then it’s very important to training hens to lay eggs where and where not.
Some chickens can be very stubborn about laying eggs outside the coops. Without proper training on laying in a specific location, they will lay their eggs wherever they want to.
So, for getting maximum number of clean and fresh eggs, you have to train your hens where to lay eggs and where they shouldn’t. Following tips will help to encourage your hens for laying eggs in their nesting boxes.
Chicken Behavior
If you left your chickens in their own devices or location, then they will spend their time searching around your yard for foods and a safe location from predators for their nights roosting. Naturally, chickens do not have a strong desire to wander.
They can easily be raised in a specific location. If all their needs are met up in one general location then they will happily live in that location.
While training your hens for laying their eggs in a specific location you can take advantages of their this types of natural behavior.
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| How to train Hen for laying Eggs |
Laying Accommodations
Your chicken coops are the safest and easiest place for your hens to start training process for your hens where to lay their eggs. Keep all your chickens inside the coop so that they can’t lay their eggs elsewhere and can’t leave their coop.
You have to make your hens understand that, they always have to lay eggs and roost inside their coop. Keep some homemade nesting boxes inside your coops and make a safe, secure and comfortable place for your hens to lay their eggs.
You can keep some fake eggs or golf balls inside the nesting boxes to make your hens understand what they are supposed to do with the nesting boxes.
When your hens lay their eggs in other locations, collect the eggs and relocate those into the nesting boxes. In case of raising indoor hens, they should get into the habit of laying their eggs inside the coop.
They will continue to lay eggs into the nesting boxes once they have been doing this for a few months.
Free Range Farming
The chickens who are allowed to browse outdoors are considered to be free range chickens. Training free range chickens for laying eggs into the nesting boxes is slightly difficult than indoor raised chickens.
Because free range chickens have significantly more options to lay their eggs around your yard. You need to train your chickens to lay their eggs into the nesting boxes which are placed inside the chicken coops.
If you can properly train your hens then they will continue to return to the nesting boxes inside the coop for laying their eggs even after you allow them to browse outdoors.
If your chickens continue to lay their eggs anywhere they wish then keep them inside the coop full time for several days or months.
Long Term Training
It’s much easier to train your younger hens. Coop-train the new hens that you have added to your flock. New hens in your flock can’t figure out where to lay eggs automatically without training.
If your chickens used to lay their eggs in undesirable locations for long time then you can remove this habit from them by returning and keeping them into the coop for long time.
Keep Sufficient Nesting Boxes
Keep sufficient number of nesting boxes inside your chicken coop. In general, keep one box for every 4 to 5 hens. This will ensure a comfortable place for them for laying eggs and you hens will stop mutual fighting.
Appealing Nesting Boxes
Keep attractive nesting boxes inside the coop. Keep the boxes in a dark and quiet corner of the coop. Chickens need privacy and they prefer a secure place for laying. Place the boxes a few inches off the floor.
Try to make the nesting boxes comfortable enough for your hens. Generally, hens used to lay their eggs early in the day. So, keep then inside the coop until most of your hens lay their eggs.
Doing this will encourage them laying eggs inside the nesting boxes instead of searching for a cozy place outside the coop. Keep some fake eggs inside the nesting boxes. This will also encourage them for laying eggs into the nesting boxes inside the chicken coop.