I need help getting my chickens to find their nesting boxes!

[LeslieDJoyce]

Any of you not have a rooster but are willing to try one? A neat experiment would be to see if rooster can get hens to lay eggs in boxes you use. My adult roosters clearly effect nesting and thus egg deposition sites for my hens that are in pens and free-ranging.

My roosters like to do that, too. They get in there and make a big fuss and play house while the harem stands around watching. I think they are especially helpful with pullets that are just about to lay. It's so sweet. But they can be clumsy with the eggs.

 

[romualdas]

The only reason I use golf balls or fake eggs is for the black snakes that steal eggs . My coop floors are dirt , so I use the deep litter system , and straw in nest boxes .

 

[centrarchid]

My roosters like to do that, too. They get in there and make a big fuss and play house while the harem stands around watching. I think they are especially helpful with pullets that are just about to lay. It's so sweet. But they can be clumsy with the eggs.

Mine have not been indicating a nest that already has eggs in it which I think is normal state of affairs.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Mine have not been indicating a nest that already has eggs in it which I think is normal state of affairs.

We pretty much always need more nesting boxes around here.

 

[itspebbl]

Golf balls worked for us!We found out about them thanks to BYC

 

[Annasg]

They have a mind of their own. Straw is much better and easy to clean. They poop everywhere already so keeping a clean pen is a full time job. Just gotta roll with it. The trays might have something to do with them NOT going there to lay. They will decide where they want to go but you might want to consider a wooden box. I have 4 layers and they all use the same box. Drove me nuts at first cause I wanted them all to have their own, however, they decided for themselves. I never have poop on my eggs as my hens do NOT poop in their laying box. I have 6 laying boxes and they all choose the same one to lay in, the other have poop. I keep a lot of straw in the boxes to make it easier to clean. I doubt that fake eggs will make them lay any differently than what they decide for themselves but my Grandmother used to use them to make the hen brood in the Springtime. Thinking about trying that one this coming Spring. Consider that they are on a schedule and when they form that schedule, you will know it. They are like women, just can't predict what they are gonna do, however, you can watch them a figure them out and their schedules will fall right with them if you are feeding them laying mash and feeding them on schedule.

 

[ChickChick55]

We use shredded paper for nesting and on the floor and they don't mind it. Its cheap, as we get if off a local office. We can change it twice a week. at no cost

 

[ChickadeeRanch]

chickens are odd

 

[Troy6671]

It took some of my girls a while to start using the nest boxes (some layed on the floor for months). Now they all lay where they are supposed to. I have used hay, straw and wood shavings and they don't seem to mind what is in the nest box! Good luck!

 

[Troy6671]

It took some of my girls a while to start using the nest boxes (some layed on the floor for months). Now they all lay where they are supposed to. I have used hay, straw and wood shavings and they don't seem to mind what is in the nest box! Good luck!