Chicken not using the nest box

[Zwillingsmama]

i have 5 chicken. Up until yesterday they all used the same nest box, never layed an egg somewhere else. Yesterday I found 1 egg in the middle of the coop in the dirt and today the same. Based on the color I think it is the same chicken. Why would she do it and how can I stop it. Any info is appreciated

 

[azygous]

I have a Welsummer that occasionally drops her egg in the run. I figure she's just not paying attention, and the egg slips out before she is aware. Kind of like trying to toilet train my youngest son when he was three. I solved the problem with my son by telling him I'd clean him up one last time, and the next time he had to clean himself. I have no such strategy for a chicken, though.

 

[so lucky]

Could it be that there was a different chicken in the egg box when your particular girl had to lay her egg? No room at the inn?

 

[azygous]

Hens can hold their egg in until they can access a nest, if they choose. I have one little Legbar hen that is practically feral and needs to be out free ranging most of the day or she is unbearably mean to the others. She waits patiently until I let her into the coop to lay her egg, lays it in about 60 seconds, and is telling me she's ready to go back outside.

My hens all mostly like to lay in one favorite nest. When it's occupied, they stand in line waiting to use it instead of heading into a vacant nest. Almost never does one let her egg slip out before she makes it to her turn in the nest.

 

[aart]

i have 5 chicken. Up until yesterday they all used the same nest box, never layed an egg somewhere else. Yesterday I found 1 egg in the middle of the coop in the dirt and today the same. Based on the color I think it is the same chicken. Why would she do it and how can I stop it. Any info is appreciated

How old are your birds?
How many nests?
Fake eggs in all the nests?
I've had this happen on occasion, could be a pecking order scuffle going on.

 

[Zwillingsmama]

My girls are 15/16 months old. They only have 1 nest box. I used to have 2 but they were only using 1 so I eliminated the one they were not using.
I keep a fake egg inn all the time. At the moment only 4 of my girls are laying one started her molt

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I suggest you put the other nest box back in, and put a couple of fake eggs or golf balls in both nests. If there is only one nest and it is occupied at egg-laying time, what's a poor girl to do?

 

[Swirls76]

We threw ping pong balls into thee nesting box and that helped.

 

[Zwillingsmama]

For the past 6 months they have used 1 nest box without any problems, waiting their turn, laying in 1 box. The question is why now the change.

 

[Swirls76]

I understand. My ten chickens only use two of the six nesting boxes. They wait until one is done before they lay. Sorry, I wish I had an answer for you.