All of a sudden half of my hens aren't using nesting box

[Esshea]

I am trying to figure out why half of my ladies are no longer using their box and instead lay on the coop floor underneath the box. Here are my thoughts:
1. Bully hen wont let others inside?
2. The box is too cold with the change in seasons? We have a Best Nest rollaway box and its metal. It has outside access with a metal wire bottom that potentially is drafty.
3. They are all little jerks and just want me to climb inside the coop?

Any ideas? I could go back to placing dummy eggs.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

They may have just figured out that bedding is more comfy than metal. Are you able to easily walk inside the coop?

 

[WallyG74]

I think it’s #3! They have all day to dream up stuff to piss us off.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I was leaning toward #3 TOO!
You:
The Flock:

 

[Esshea]

They may have just figured out that bedding is more comfy than metal. Are you able to easily walk inside the coop?

Thats probably the case LOL. I can't really walk into it, I can reach in through some access doors to their favorite spots to collect eggs. It's just a pain.

 

[aart]

Try putting fake eggs back in.
Could be the draft tho...maybe block it off?

 

[Aapomp831]

#3. Whatever my chickens can do to make my job harder, they do it. I swear to god (or whatever you subscribe to) that they rub their wing tips together and go “haha, haha” on a regular basis.

 

[starystoryteller]

I am trying to figure out why half of my ladies are no longer using their box and instead lay on the coop floor underneath the box. Here are my thoughts:
1. Bully hen wont let others inside?
2. The box is too cold with the change in seasons? We have a Best Nest rollaway box and its metal. It has outside access with a metal wire bottom that potentially is drafty.
3. They are all little jerks and just want me to climb inside the coop?

Any ideas? I could go back to placing dummy eggs.

Option 4
They are naturally ground nesting birds and will instinctively burrow into loose grass,leaves, similar debris to make their nest safe from the predators that as prey animals they instinctively "know" is out there even though we silly humans tell them its safe and just lay the eggs on the conveyor belt ....

Or option 5.
You could have mites and need to sanitize the nest box. Cleaning the box and adding lavender always fixed the issue for me but I use traditional nest box.

 

[Mrs. K]

They are notional, someone, thought hmmm this is a good place, and the rest said, who are we to argue. I will let them lay there for a few days, then make it so it is not a nest, and add the dummy eggs back in the nest...and someone thinks "Oh here is a good place"

 

[Sara S]

Mine lay far into the coop as well the buggers maybe put some cardboard on the bottom and then the bedding you use WITH fake eggs after.. Good luck!