Egg Laying Only In Nesting Box?

[Awestruck]

I have three chickens which should be 16 weeks today, and am waiting for the eggs to start coming. I checked the nest box this morning and nothing was there. My chickens love to take dirt baths and just sit in the dirt in different places in the yard. Is it possible that they could lay their eggs somewhere in the yard? They are in the coop all night, but out during much of the day. Should I be looking throughout the yard for eggs or will they most likely be found in the nest boxes that the chickens slept in?

 

[Pyxis]

You don't want them sleeping in the nesting box, that's gonna be a nasty mess when they start laying eggs If they're doing that I'd block them off for a few days so that they start sleeping on the roost.

As for getting them to lay in the nest boxes, you can encourage them to do so by putting golf balls or fake eggs in there. This makes the nest look appealing and they should lay in there.