Favorite nesting box?

[wvhomesteader]

We have three boxes in our coop for our girls and they only use one. The others are untouched. How can I encourage them to use all of them or am I just wasting my time?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It's natural for them to have a favorite box or two out of the number you offer. It is also natural for them to be drawn to a nest where another bird has already left an egg that day - so once the first bird lays that marks that nest as the one to use. We still offer more nests as there are times when using the favorite nest isn't an option (someone might go broody and claim that nest, someone may be unwilling to give it up on a particular day, etc. so having other places to go is good for the rest of the flock) You can try laying some bait in the other boxes (golf balls, wooden eggs, etc) and this will often encourage them to consider them for use.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

It's natural for them to have a favorite box or two out of the number you offer. It is also natural for them to be drawn to a nest where another bird has already left an egg that day - so once the first bird lays that marks that nest as the one to use. We still offer more nests as there are times when using the favorite nest isn't an option (someone might go broody and claim that nest, someone may be unwilling to give it up on a particular day, etc. so having other places to go is good for the rest of the flock) You can try laying some bait in the other boxes (golf balls, wooden eggs, etc) and this will often encourage them to consider them for use.

Like has been posted before, hens lay in a particular nest box for her own selfish reasons. To expect her to chose any other nest box merely to satisfy our selfish human reasons is asking a lot. You will have more luck herding cats than you will enjoy when you try droving chickens.