chicken egg laying help!!!

[backyardbirdman]

My barred rock mix bantam keeps kicking out the straw in all the boxes and then lays an egg on the dirt alone, why is this?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum! Glad you joined us!

My guess is that you need to raise the lip across the front of the nest to stop her from raking the straw out. Chickens rearrange the bedding material in the boxes as they get ready to lay. They do this by scratching. I use a lip around 5" to 6" high.

 

[3 NH reds]

Our chicken's refused to read the book on raising chickens and Will lay in the same spot but do not use the nesting boxes. They like the nesting area just fine but no boxes, they push them out of the way and scratch a nice nest for all 9 to use in the hay.Is the nest area you have for them quiet?