My chickens don't like their nesting boxes, they never have would this work? *New question and updat

i was thinking of building a small box with an over hang big enough for a bale of hay so they can just hop in and lay.

The rabbit is finding a new home this week, she was one of the strays we caught in our yard. So she won't be a problem much longer.
 
You need a nice enclosed nest box in the quietest area of your coop with plenty of straw, remove or cover any bales of straw that the birds are going to, place some fake eggs in their too so they get the idea, if you see them trying to lay somewhere else either remove them and keep pestering them so they don't go back or lock them in their coop with said nest boxes till they lay in them, they may eventually stay put!
 
So today I started rearranging my coop. I made a new "box" for them and placed two of todays eggs in it. They got in and rolled the eggs around and sat in the box and explored it. I think I'm going to give the new design a try before I build something else. But now I need to know the nestin box/hen ratio.

Do you all think this would work a bit better?
 
Personally, I've never seen the fuss over a nest box. Mine didn't lay in theirs, they've always laid behing an old cast iron tub, between it and the wall. It's not quite as easy to get to, I suppose, but all it involves is bending over and looking. I just keep shavings or hay down there to help keep the eggs cleaner. Since I had free rangers, I'm just happy they lay where I can find them!


The nest boxes we started out with are now out in the garden, little boxes of raised beds for strawberries and swiss chard.
 
I think I figured out one of the reasons why, but I'm thinking about switching it up. They really like making their own nests in bales of hay and laying there. Would it be totally daft to just give them some bales of hay along the wall and let them make their own nests?


Here is one of the reasons they don't like the first nesting box, apparently it has been commondeered by a rescued stray rabbit.


I have a nesting box just like your yellow one there. Mine would never lay in it...until I turned it upside down. Might also help if you put some fake eggs in the nests.

~ Aspen
 
I have a nesting box just like your yellow one there. Mine would never lay in it...until I turned it upside down. Might also help if you put some fake eggs in the nests.

~ Aspen

They always push the fake eggs and golf balls out. :( I just revamped it so we'll see today if they will use it today. I hope so, I hate having to play seek and find eggs.
 

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