Broody chicken rejects nesting material?

[Turnipseed]

One of my chickens went broody a couple of days ago and I got her some eggs to sit on. I've had a big problem with all four of my chickens rejecting nesting boxes and preferring to lay on the coop floor their whole life (they're a year and 3 months old now). I tried giving the broody a box with straw, and just straw on bare floor but she would just sit next to it and move her eggs. The floor has linoleum on it and is covered with shavings but now she's even kicking the shavings off and just keeping the eggs on bare floor. Is this safe for her and the eggs? I'm afraid they're gonna break with no cushioning.

 

[A.M. Eggs]

I have never had a hen do this before. When ever I have a broody I place a towel or blanket under the woodchips to provide a little more comfort. Maybe she'll like a soft blanket.

 

[aart]

I've had a big problem with all four of my chickens rejecting nesting boxes and preferring to lay on the coop floor their whole life

Curious how you tried to remedy this situation.
Pics of your nests might garner viable solutions.

I segregate my broodies with a floor nest in a wired off section of coop and let them settle in before I give them fresh fertile eggs.

 

[Henriettamom919]

Maybe find a way to separate her and leave her without a choice as where to nest? Like, no open floor space available?

 

[chickens really]

Get a plastic dog crate and use pine shavings and a bit of straw. Lock her in the crate till she settles on the eggs. I've had Hens that also like to hatch right on the bottom on the crate floor without issues to the eggs...

 

[Turnipseed]

Curious how you tried to remedy this situation.
Pics of your nests might garner viable solutions.

I segregate my broodies with a floor nest in a wired off section of coop and let them settle in before I give them fresh fertile eggs.

They were in a standard coop, this one -> https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/coops-feathers-extreme-walk-in-hen-coop?cm_vc=-10005 Until about a month ago. We had the nesting box partitions closed until about two weeks before they started laying. They didn't want to lay in them so we got ceramic eggs to encourage them, that didn't work. We tried putting their eggs in as well, changing the bedding, putting some nest box herbs so it smells nice for them, nothing really worked. One chicken, Fiona, keeps wanting to dig holes outside and lay in them. About a month ago we moved them to a new coop, basically a 6x12 shed with a 6x6 chicken area and built in nest boxes that were about 12x12 in. We tried the boxes both on the floor and about two feet off the ground but no luck so far getting anyone to go in.

Is it absolutely necessary to segregate her from the others? They have a pretty nice run with forage and treats around and she comes out once a day to peck at things a little. No one bothers her and I feel kind of bad locking her in a dog cage.

 

[AquaDuck]

Oh yeah, my ducks does that too... Never satisfied.
Try putting a cloth/towel or something textile she can't remove under her. That way the eggs won't slip and roll on the floor and they get a bit of warmth.
Providing different materials like short hay, short straw, shavings, dried leaves etc around the nest and she can choose what she want to use.

 

[Molpet]

Is it absolutely necessary to segregate her from the others? They have a pretty nice run with forage and treats around and she comes out once a day to peck at things a little. No one bothers her and I feel kind of bad locking her in a dog cage.

I usually leave mine in a nest box, but can partially shut a door so she can get out. I mark the eggs and take any extras out.
It's a hens instinct to get to ground level for humidity.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...e-make-a-sitting-hens-job-so-difficult.74389/

 

[aart]

About a month ago we moved them to a new coop, basically a 6x12 shed with a 6x6 chicken area and built in nest boxes that were about 12x12 in. We tried the boxes both on the floor and about two feet off the ground but no luck so far getting anyone to go in.

Pics of this?