All the chickens in one nesting box

[bellaisa]

Has anyone had any luck getting chickens to change which nesting box to lay in. I have 12 pullets. At least 8 are laying as we have received 8 eggs in one day. They all lay in the same nesting box. Some of the time a few eggs are layed on the coop floor. I believe this is when they are "waiting" for the nesting box. I have 4 boxe and all birds only use one. Some of the time there will be two in at the same time. Here is a picture of the box same set up on opposite side of coop. The use the smaller of the boxes. But we have the same box on the other side with no one using it and we have moved location of boxes. I am at a loss.

 

[SueT]

Ha, yes they do that. I had such a traffic jam with 8 nesting ( in 3 nests,), that I added more nests with enhancements to attract them, and I did succeed in luring some of them into trying something new. They like a wicker laundry basket I got at a thrift store, and a couple decided that the plastic milk crate is pretty cool. The biggest attraction is The Royal Suite, formerly 2 divided nests in an old wooden fruit crate. I removed the divider, and closed in the front somewhat. Suddenly this was the most desirable. However, the other locations still have customers...

 

[Molpet]

13 hens, 8 boxes... 1 has one eggs, 1 has a hen inside and one jiggling at the door. 1 has 2 hens squashed inside.. the rest are empty and 6 hens squawking in the coop saying hurry up LOL

 

[Ridgerunner]

I sometimes see three in one nest with all other nests empty. While one nest is usually most popular on most days I get some eggs out of all three nests. That popular nest can change too.

Do you have fake eggs in the nests? I use golf balls but ceramic or wooden eggs work well too. They tend to like to lay where other eggs are so maybe try fake eggs in all nests. Or move a laid egg to an empty nest and see if that lures another one in there to lay.

 

[bellaisa]

View attachment 1155432 View attachment 1155434 View attachment 1155435 Ha, yes they do that. I had such a traffic jam with 8 nesting ( in 3 nests,), that I added more nests with enhancements to attract them, and I did succeed in luring some of them into trying something new. They like a wicker laundry basket I got at a thrift store, and a couple decided that the plastic milk crate is pretty cool. The biggest attraction is The Royal Suite, formerly 2 divided nests in an old wooden fruit crate. I removed the divider, and closed in the front somewhat. Suddenly this was the most desirable. However, the other locations still have customers...

I think I will try putting in a milk crate. We have one of those on hand. We are thinking about attaching an external nesting box also.

 

[bellaisa]

I sometimes see three in one nest with all other nests empty. While one nest is usually most popular on most days I get some eggs out of all three nests. That popular nest can change too.

Do you have fake eggs in the nests? I use golf balls but ceramic or wooden eggs work well too. They tend to like to lay where other eggs are so maybe try fake eggs in all nests. Or move a laid egg to an empty nest and see if that lures another one in there to lay.

I have golf balls in all boxes.

 

[JaeG]

They like to lay where other chickens have laid or are laying. I sometimes divide the eggs that have been laid so far that day between a couple of boxes to ease congestion. It's even better when you have a broody hogging the favourite nestbox!

 

[SueT]

I think I will try putting in a milk crate. We have one of those on hand. We are thinking about attaching an external nesting box also.

Make sure it can't tip over, or lay it on its side and fasten something across the bottom edge to keep eggs/bedding in.

 

[GlennLee]

Mine back up too and I've had 3 laying in one side all together. I don't even know how they were able to sandwich in there. The latest is I've been finding Rhode Island Red eggs in with the guinea hen nest. Every day, they both add another one! I love all the ideas people posted. Oh, to be inside the mind of a chicken!

 

[bellaisa]

Make sure it can't tip over, or lay it on its side and fasten something across the bottom edge to keep eggs/bedding in.

Thanks for the tip. I did not think of them tipping it.