Chickens laying under coop instead of in nesting boxes

[lrach73]

I have ten hens, five older and five younger. All and summer, all 10 laid in the nesting boxes. Then the older five stopped laying and now the younger hens are laying under the coops where we can't get to the eggs.

The nesting boxes were a problem because two hens would get in at night and sleep there, so we were boarding it off at night and then opening in the morning, but they still started laying under the coop. Is it possible to retrain them? It would be hard to block off under the coop and I don't really want to, since that's the spot they like when it's cold and windy. Do I just give up and figure out how to access them under the coop?

 

[nuthatched]

You might need 1 or more boxes, you also might need to block off under the coop until you've solved the hens sleeping in the boxes, perhaps add more roosts.

 

[Sara S]

You might need 1 or more boxes, you also might need to block off under the coop until you've solved the hens sleeping in the boxes, perhaps add more roosts.

I agree try that

 

[rosemarythyme]

Any photos of the nests and their current preferred nesting area? Maybe something can be changed to make the nest boxes more attractive or the under coop area less attractive.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Adding my thoughts to the already great advice above....

You still need to be able to reach every corner under the coop. If a hen gets sick, goes broody, decides to stay out all night that is most assuredly where they will choose.

 

[lrach73]

Adding my thoughts to the already great advice above....

You still need to be able to reach every corner under the coop. If a hen gets sick, goes broody, decides to stay out all night that is most assuredly where they will choose.

All great advice. We can get to the areas under the coop if we must, just prefer not to do it for eggs. They used the nesting boxes for months until..........they just stopped. I really hesitate to block off or make the area under the coop less appealing. Our coop is about 2' off the ground and the area under it is perfect during cold weather (we have blocked wind from getting under there). I will try a few of the tips above and we'll see what happens!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I keep a child's leaf rake for those long reach hidden eggs. Maybe Amazon has them this time of year.

 

[blwhitty]

I keep a child's leaf rake for those long reach hidden eggs. Maybe Amazon has them this time of year.

This is exactly our solution to this very same issue. Our girls free range after sunrise and our shed is also lifted about 2' up which they all like to dust bathe under, use for shade and hide out, etc. One of the ladies likes to lay hers under there so we also use a leaf rake. We just have to make sure to look for an egg every day.