Efflaying location question

[gjoyner]

I have three lil ladies who are about 10-11 weeks old. I know they will be laying relatively soon so I want to be prepared. There are two nest boxes (I know I dont need that many for 3 but Im getting more ladies!) in their coop. BUT..the coop is a smaller, so there is more warmth in the winter and because I open the door to thier coop and run adn they sort of free range in my fenced in yard all day. Where will they lay? How do I get them to lay in the nest boxes if they free range? Even if I kept them in the run all day..would they walk up into the coop and lay in the boxes and come back down outside? (they LOVE to be outside)

 

[faykokoWV]

Mine needed a little hint. I put a golf ball in the nest and that seemed to help some but they weren't all getting it. I finally took any eggs layed in bad spots, marked them with an x so I'd know which they were, and put them in the nests. They did the job. They are out all day in the "chicken moat" but they always go back in to lay their eggs.

 

[Patchesnposies]

I found some fake eggs that I put into the nest boxes when my first pullets were nearing point of lay. They were also free range.

Once a couple of them started laying in the nesting boxes I guess it taught the others because they all lay in them now. In fact, it seems that which ever box has an egg in it that becomes THE box to use.

Of course, after a while, we had to deal with broody hens who wanted to sit and would hide their nests in tall grass or under brush. Apparently they all like to use those nests too, as I found all sorts of different colored eggs in them.

If you keep collecting the eggs they give up trying to be broody. (USUALLY!) LOL

 

[gjoyner]

so..we have golf balls in there already..but it would be best to put an egg or two in there when they start laying? They will get it basically? no biggie?