Dust bath or laying?

[Scareab]

Hello!
My chickens are about to lay any day now and now I’m concerned if they are going to be laying in the coop at all!
It’s HOT in Texas as any Texan will tell ya. The weathers great at 80 and hot in the 90s.
so I notice they tend to go in the shade to cool off and do their dust baths as chickens do.
Today I saw them sneak outside the back to the front, making a little hole in the bushes! She’s doing the dust bath motion, but the hole is pretty deep and she just sits there for a while.
My question is, how do I know they are making a nest, and how do I get them to lay in the coop? I don’t wanna go wasting the three nesting boxes I’ve got!
I’ve attached some pics of where she is and a pic of her.

 

[FarmInProgress]

I hear ya! I had a hen who was newly to laying and hid over 20 of her own eggs from us lol! Your girls are probably just dusting but you should probably watch them and check on the spots they dust in just in case

 

[centrarchid]

Getting her feet and breast in contact with cool ground beneath leaves. Wings not held like a broody, more like when dust bathing. She also appears to be dumping heat by panting.

 

[SmotherHen]

Hello!
My chickens are about to lay any day now and now I’m concerned if they are going to be laying in the coop at all!
It’s HOT in Texas as any Texan will tell ya. The weathers great at 80 and hot in the 90s.
so I notice they tend to go in the shade to cool off and do their dust baths as chickens do.
Today I saw them sneak outside the back to the front, making a little hole in the bushes! She’s doing the dust bath motion, but the hole is pretty deep and she just sits there for a while.
My question is, how do I know they are making a nest, and how do I get them to lay in the coop? I don’t wanna go wasting the three nesting boxes I’ve got!
I’ve attached some pics of where she is and a pic of her.View attachment 2125274

I love the way she blends right in with her surroundings! Neat coloring on your hen.