24wk old EE's will not use the nest box

[sellersgang]

We have 5 EE's that just turned 24 wks old and all but one have started laying. As soon as we found the first egg on the floor we put a nest box in the coop layered with straw. 2 hrs later all of the straw was out of the coop in the run. So I then put pine shavings in there with a golf ball. Since then they scratched the shavings out of the box but left the golf ball alone. A week later they are STILL laying on the floor so today i put more shavings in the box and replaced the golf ball. I went to look for another ball to put in the box and was gone all of 5 minutes. When I returned, someone had slung the golf ball to the other end of the coop that fast! HELP... how do i get them in the nest box??????? They have the coop and run all to themselves. We purchased them from Ideal back in September.

 

[sellersgang]

WOW no responses

where are all the experts today???

 

[My chicken is cuter]

I really don't know what to tell you. My hens lay in the nesting boxes.

 

[sellersgang]

Wanna swap??? lol J/K these are my first ones to raise from babies.. I would NEVER swap them.

 

[NRacine]

What if you got something a little more sturdy and nest-like? Like the nests in the boxes that the chickies come in, something woven that they can't kick out. Oh! Like a grapevine wreath from the craft store?

At least yours are laying, my EEs are 27 weeks, but no eggs yet. Hopefully when it warms up later this week.....

 

[sellersgang]

Hmmmm.. a grapevine wreath.. thats something to think about! I went back out today and the 2 golf balls have been sent out of the coop this time to the far end of the run.. I think now they are really playing golf in there or pitch and catch or something.. they do not like those balls in their coop. lol

 

[cmom]

Could you post some pictures of your nest boxes? I have one golf ball in each of my nest boxes. All of my girls lay in them. There are pictures on my BYC Page.

 

[sellersgang]

My nest box is a plastic milk crate hung sideways on the wall. Dont have a pic tho. We have the same thing in one other coop and they have no prob using them.