3rd season layer suddenly won’t use nesting boxes

[BrazierFamilyFarm]

We have six ladies in our flock and here in New England they just started laying again. Our ameraucana, who is in her 3rd laying season, suddenly won’t lay in the nesting boxes anymore, or even in the coop. She just lays randomly down in the run. Now, in the past she needed the fake eggs in the nesting boxes to show her where to go, and we’ve left them in there, so that hasn’t changed. We did incorporate some new ladies last fall so there was that adjustment but it went relatively smoothly and everyone else (including the new girls) are laying fine now. Does anyone have any suggestions or know what’s going on here??

 

[Mvan42]

How many chickens and how many nesting boxes do you have?

 

[BrazierFamilyFarm]

How many chickens and how many nesting boxes do you have?

6 chickens and 3 boxes

 

[Mvan42]

Not enough nesting boxes shouldn’t be a problem, then.. but you could try adding an extra one to see. Maybe they are all full when she needs to lay.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Only guess is some of the newer layers are chasing her away from the boxes? Is she low in the pecking order?

 

[BrazierFamilyFarm]

Only guess is some of the newer layers are chasing her away from the boxes? Is she low in the pecking order?

She is a bit lower but now that they're all laying they seem to be getting along just fine...