When the egg count stopped adding up
Our girls had not been laying as frequently, and at first we were not quite sure why. Then we realized we had a pesky squirrel getting into the coop and stealing some of the eggs. Besides taking the eggs, we wondered if all that activity near the nesting area was making the hens feel uneasy.
Once we addressed the squirrel problem, we decided it was also time to give the flock a better nesting setup. We added this multi-level set of boxes, with room for up to eight nesting spaces, so the girls could spread out and choose where they felt most comfortable.
Easy to build, and the girls have opinions
The boxes were super easy for us to assemble, which is always a welcome surprise. More importantly, the hens have already started showing us exactly what they like.
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Our younger birds from the most recent group seem to prefer the top boxes. The older girls tend to choose the lower level. I love watching those little flock preferences emerge; even when we give them the same options, they each settle into their own routines.
Our ceramic-egg counting system
We also added ceramic eggs to encourage the girls to use the new boxes and to help discourage egg pecking. They have been working well for our flock so far, and we turned them into a simple counting system for the whole family.
We leave two ceramic eggs in the top level and one in the bottom. If we see more than two eggs upstairs, we know a fresh egg has been laid. If there is more than one downstairs, there is a fresh egg there, too. It makes checking the boxes quick and easy while giving the hens a consistent place to lay.
A small change that is helping
We are still paying attention and learning from the girls, but this combination has been a helpful reset: a more comfortable nesting setup, ceramic eggs that seem to reduce pecking, and a clearer way for us to keep track of each day’s eggs.
Sometimes caring for a flock is less about one big solution and more about noticing what has changed, making a few thoughtful adjustments, and watching what the hens tell you next.