Chickens laying on the ground

[Melsbeutimushen]

I posted a few days ago that my chickens are not laying in the coop and a few of you suggested that I keep them in the coop for a few days to a few weeks without letting them out. I did that. They have been in there for 2 1/2 days. I have gotten 2 eggs in that 2 1/2 days. I have 5 hens. Not only that but they are not laying in the boxes. They are on the ground. I have two milk crates that are about a quarter of the way full of hay. I have placed 3 plastic eggs in each crate and placed them in the darkest part of the coop. I also have a doghouse in there that I was using for my ducks that has hay in it, just in case. I don't know what else to do. The hens are 23 weeks old. 3 of them are reds and 2 of them are white leghorns. Is there anything else that I can do?

UPDATE: II forgot to add that I had been getting up to 4 eggs a day in the coop/boxes up until about a week ago.

 

[chickenluver555]

can you post a pic of the nesting boxes?
Hens will lay wherever they think is the best spot. I go searching for my eggs every morning, for they are rarely actually in the nesting box. Maybe you need a different type of bedding.