covering nesting boxes in PM, now laying under them...

[gretchen]

So my gals were all sleeping in the nesting boxes, so I covered them and changed their roost. They started sleeping on the roost but I kept the boxes covered at night (the one time I forgot I went into the coop and 2 were back in and had to be dragged out screaming) so I would open the boxes in the morning. Then 2 started laying, in the boxes, but now one is laying under the boxes because she lays before I wake up and let them out (around 7). Do I just wait until she starts laying later and hope she goes back to the box or do I do something before it's habit? (it's only been 2 days)

 

[Blondie]

Gretchen,

I have found that my chickens grew out of sleeping in the nest boxes. To me it was a pain to cover the boxes to "train" them. After a while, they would only lay eggs in the boxes and sleep on the roosts. I could tell they weren't hanging out in there because there wasn't any poopie. I say, just let them be!

 

[gretchen]

So, I put a grocery store egg in one of the "open boxes" and it worked... it kept them out of the box overnight, although one of the laying ladies still layed her egg on the floor the other layed right next to the grocery egg. Yipee! Maybe tomorrow they will both be back in the box.

 

[gretchen]

Now I have moved onto a wooden egg in the box to keep them out... they didn't buy it, I found poop in the box this morning, which I cleaned out and then went back in to change the water and my first chick to lay eggs was on the floor laying under the boxes...UGH, she was the first to lay and was laying in the boxes. Should I pick her up and put her in the box next time? I didn't want to disturb her too much since only 2 of 7 are laying right now.... I want my eggs! I just don't want to let it spiral out of control as all the others start to lay.. I want to nip it in the bud, so to speak. Any ideas?