All the hens favor the last nesting box

[RawEggEater]

I have a total of 8 nesting boxes but a few of the hens favor the last one. There was 3 in this one just before I took the picture. They do use the other boxes but for some reason, they favor this one. I'm wondering if I should try and separate them. I think I may have got them to stop crapping in the nesting boxes by putting wadded up bubble wrap in there over-night. At least the last 2 boxes.

 

[mcdze]

lol yeah they do that .. i built 6 nest boxes, and your right, one is the crapper ha ha .. i usually only keep 2 dressed and hayed, but if you make another one in a different spot and toss a golfball in it, lot of times that will coax them in ..

 

[RawEggEater]

Oh yeah, the golf/ping-pong ball trick. I've forgotten about that.

 

[aart]

I have a total of 8 nesting boxes but a few of the hens favor the last one.

Are those nests getting wet inside?

They often will lay in the one that gets used first.
Putting one fake egg in each nest may help to spread the love..

I think I may have got them to stop crapping in the nesting boxes by putting wadded up bubble wrap in there over-night.

Why are they sleeping in the nests?
Is there enough roosting length for all your birds?
Are the roosts higher than the nests?

 

[Mrs. K]

Mine will favor one for a while and then another.

 

[davidjkcho]

I had 2 nesting boxes with 4 chickens. They were using the left box most of times.
I put a curtain on the right side but to no avail. Next I tossed a golf ball.
Now they are using mostly right side. Funny girls.

 

[Mrs. K]

And then for no reason, they will hide one in the run... Currently I have the floor of my coop lined with cardboard - instead of hay which I have used for YEARS. But this spring, they stopped using the nests that they have used for decades. Created a nest on the floor. I would block, fluff their nests - and they would create a new nest on the floor.

I put down the cardboard - what a mess. The hay lets the manure dry out. And yesterday I got all 5 in 3 different nests...Finally. I am going to leave down that cardboard for a good week. EESH