Anyway to get new layers to lay in nesting box?

[6RandomBrownLayers]

Hullo, my pullets haven't started laying yet but I think that one is on her way. Is there anyway to teach her to lay in the nest box? I have golf balls in now, but they would roost in them so I have now covered them up with cardboard. When should I uncover them? After I find the first egg or before? I just don't want a whole bunch of poop in them instead of eggs!

 

[Mahonri]

I'd wait until you see them squatting, and then I'd uncover the nest boxes.

I'd also probably go out at night and put each bird that decided the nest box was a better place to sleep up on the roosts.

your roosts are higher than your next boxes right?

 

[6RandomBrownLayers]

They're kinda higher lol. The way I have the nextboxes set up is 3 boxes by 2 boxes so its kinda like

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The bottom 3 are lower than roost but top 3 are a little higher. I didn't know much about coops when I built it. I can just leave the top ones closed off though I suppose.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, I'd guess they were sleeping in the higher ones. They instinctively like to sleep as high as they can get.

I'd go ahead and open the lower ones and make sure a fake egg is in there. If they are still sleeping in a lower nest, I'd move them to the roosts at night. They should soon get the message.

I always want the nests open when they start to lay. They are creatures of habit. If they get used to laying somewhere else, it can be hard to break them.

Don't freak out if you first egg is under the roost or somewhere else in the coop. When they first start to lay, a lot of them seem to be surprised by the process and might drop their first few eggs about anywhere. But as soon as they gain control of the process, they look for a nest to lay in. A lot of them do lay that first egg in a nest to start with and most lay the first controlled egg in a nest. Those fake eggs do help.

Good luck! It's about to get even more exciting for you.

 

[clayb226]

I went out everynight for two weeks before mine stayed on the roost by them selves. As far as getting them to lay in the nesting boxes, all mine were brown layers, so I hard boiled some white eggs, and put them in the nesting boxes. They were laying in the nesting boxes in no time flat.