Laying eggs on ground

[Jsnick]

One of my chickens is laying on the ground of the coop and today she laid in the sand of the run. I think its the New Hampshire Red because she looks the most mature. But how do I get them to lay in their boxes? I have fake wooden eggs in them and the boxes are near their roost. Not sure what else to try. I was so excited to get that first egg!!!

 

[ardagh23]

I'm having the same problem with one of my chickens. I have not tried putting fake eggs or golf balls in the nesting boxes, but today I left 3 eggs (from other chickens) in the nesting boxes and took hers off the ground and put it in the nesting boxes in attempt to show her where they're supposed to be layed. I normally pick up the eggs the same day. I'm plan on getting them tomorrow after they've all layed. I hope the eggs will still be good. Outside air temperature will range between 64 - 81 today and over night so I think the eggs will be ok one more day.

Let me know if you figure out how to change her behavior. I hate being forced to go into the pen to get eggs. : (

 

[Jsnick]

I am now trying a different spot for their nesting boxes to see if this helps. I also cant leave the eggs they lay due to the temp here lately. Its been in the 90s. I had their box just under where they roost so not sure if it was hard to get to.
They keep laying in sand so I'll see if this works.

 

[heatherlamey]

I just got two RIR and one New Hampshire. They won't even go in the coop where the nesting boxes are. They have scratched a bare spot in a corner of the run and keep sitting on that. What do I do?

 

[BrewedInNh]

With our last batch of 6 they refused to lay in the 2 nests we had. They would lay on the coop floor in a corner. Not always the same corner but always in a corner. I suspect that they didn't all refuse since they tend to lay where another chicken already has. It only takes one to start a habit.

This new batch of 9 has been laying in the new nests I built which are smaller and located at floor level. Different breeds, completely new batch, who knows.

 

[Jsnick]

Yea!!

We finally got an egg in the nesting box!! One of them finally found the right spot. Now maybe the others will catch on.
I guess I just needed to be patient.

 

[doulaemily]

I adopted four laying hens last weekend from someone who was moving and couldn't take them. They are now living in our large back yard, free ranging and sleeping in a 4x4 coop at night. Supposedly, they were laying 3-4 eggs per day between them, but I'm only getting 1 a day so far, and they won't lay in the boxes, only in the yard. Is this just due to moving trauma?

 

[kschicks2013]

I have 6 chickens and one of them laid her first egg a couple days ago but no additional eggs....she laid the egg under the hen house in the corner on the sand and hay I put under the hen house. I actually was there when she laid it and I picked it up a few minutes after she laid it. I have nest boxes in the hen house but they haven't tried laying in them. I put a golf ball in each of the nests in hopes they may figure it out. If they lay under the hen house as long as I retrieve the eggs immediately I don't think it will be a problem.

 

[ardagh23]

Did the others catch on yet?

 

[kschicks2013]

Yes, not all of them but at least 4 of the 6 caught on and are laying now in the nest box.