Egglaying in the Sand/Dirt inside the Coop.

[hgreenwood]

For the last 3 days, one of my chickens is laying her eggs in the sand/dirt in the pen and not in the nesting box. What is the best way to handle this? Any suggestions as I am a new chicken owner and really don't know what to do?

 

[Audrey Watson]

Put some golf balls in the nesting box area where she should be laying. Hopefully these will encourage her to lay there since she sees other "eggs" already having been laid there(they also deter egg-eating chickens if you have any of those, because you can't break golf balls like you can break eggs). If you catch her in the act of laying her eggs on the ground, quickly pick her up and put her in the nesting box. You don't want to disturb her egg-laying but you don't want her to develop bad habits.
Good luck!