Chickens will not lay in nesting box.

[All About Chicken]

Hello, I have two types of chickens White Leghorns, and Black Australorp. Both breads where bought weeks from each other but Leghorns been laying for months. The Australorps 1st egg was today but was not in the nesting boxes and was outside under the coop… very hard to get to! The Australorp also roost out in the run (MOST of the time) not in the coop with the others. What if anything can I do to promote them to lay in the boxes? Thanks for your help Bob

 

[csummer8882]

I have yet to have experience with this as my girls aren't laying yet but I have read to put ceramic eggs or golf balls or ping pong balls in the nesting boxes. They should get the hint from that I heard! Good luck!

 

[Fred's Hens]

I "train", if one can actually train a chicken, by leaving young layers in the coop until noon. 90% of the laying seems to take place before noon, so this eliminates all the bad routines and habits. At noon, gather the eggs and release the hounds and they usually mess around outside until 7 pm or so.

This is worth a try. Later on, as maturity and familiarity with the egg boxes becomes more natural to them, I've seen them faithfully re-enter the coup to lay instead of laying outside somewhere. Hope this helps.

 

[galanie]

I put a couple golf balls in the nest box before the first ones started laying and so far I haven't ever had one lay outside the nest box, even the first time.

 

[Lisa202]

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[All About Chicken]

Thanks! I do have ping pong balls in the nesting boxes. I will try to keep them in the coop until noon when my daughter and I get the eggs.