Four days in new coop and chickens refuse to lay in nest box. Advice?

[aart]

Right now one bag is the holder of all of the other bags.

I have a few bags full of bags.. ..now I just toss them in the trash.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I have a few bags full of bags.. ..now I just toss them in the trash.

Is it weird that I feel bad for doing that? Like they take up so much space and *seem* like they could have more uses. I usually toss them every few months. I haven't made it home yet to cover the nest boxes with bags. Slow, slow, slow day at work. Been sulking around BYC all day.

 

[aart]

Is it weird that I feel bad for doing that?

I do too kinda.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I do too kinda.

So one bag only covered two boxes and I had enough mental energy to cover only those two but they won’t be moving that cat litter box.

They hate the new boxes so much that one of my newest layers and my smallest bird apparently flew over the coop wall, laid in this deep box of coffee grounds, and then flew back into the coop.

I would say that in addition to them not liking the elevated boxes, my other issue is the only birds laying have just started laying in the last couple of weeks. I’ve really messed up their whole deal.

 

[Nigel27]

A flock I watch had that problem, I would only leave one or two eggs in each box, after a week of eggs all over the floor (behind the door) they all laid in their boxes one day and the next day all over the floor again and now they’ve all taken to the boxes. Haven’t had a floor egg since, it’ll happen, be patient.

 

[aart]

I’ve really messed up their whole deal.

They'll get over it...and eventually conform.
Be persistent and patient.
New layers can be a real PITA.

 

[MissE]

Is it weird that I feel bad for doing that? Like they take up so much space and *seem* like they could have more uses. I usually toss them every few months. I haven't made it home yet to cover the nest boxes with bags. Slow, slow, slow day at work. Been sulking around BYC all day.

Not to derail this thread too much, but the plastic style feed bags can be used as garden planters. Basically fold the top inside to make the bag half the height, but double walled, fill with soil, and plant potatoes.

I have one freedom ranger hen that likes to lay on the floor. She will also lay under the coop in the summer, which requires me to reach under there with a golf club and gently slide it within my reach. I finally just put a box on the floor for her and she's the only one who uses it. She can get on the roost, which is higher than the nest boxes, so I think she's just too lazy too jump in the regular boxes.

 

[cassie]

I have some comments about fake eggs. You can get some that look and feel just like real eggs. You can get brown ones or white ones. If you get these, get brown eggs if you have white egg layers and white ones if you have brown egg layers. I didn't do that and I tried to make an omelet out of a fake egg. After that I marked them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I knew I was saving those old feed sacks for something lol

I have a whole stack of them too, and it always feels like it's just enough. I use them to hold dried leaves from fall for use the rest of the year, and additionally the plastic coated ones get folded for use as nest box liners.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Not to derail this thread too much, but the plastic style feed bags can be used as garden planters. Basically fold the top inside to make the bag half the height, but double walled, fill with soil, and plant potatoes.

That is a good idea! I've done this once with a plastic bag of soil when I ran out of pots, but the plastic isn't very breathable. I have bought and used breathable sacks. The type of feedbags I use would be very comparable! The only difference is, I couldn't repot with the sacks, but with feed bags I could cut open the bag and not feel bad tossing it afterwards.

I have a whole stack of them too, and it always feels like it's just enough. I use them to hold dried leaves from fall for use the rest of the year, and additionally the plastic coated ones get folded for use as nest box liners.

That's another great idea. I've been whining I don't have a way to store fall leaves. Hopefully I won't forget come fall!

I have some comments about fake eggs. You can get some that look and feel just like real eggs. You can get brown ones or white ones. If you get these, get brown eggs if you have white egg layers and white ones if you have brown egg layers. I didn't do that and I tried to make an omelet out of a fake egg. After that I marked them.

Lol currently I have plastic easter eggs. The downside is, they are so light the girls kick them out. I could probably put some gravel in there to weight them down though.

They'll get over it...and eventually conform.
Be persistent and patient.
New layers can be a real PITA.

I am really, really hoping this is the case. I forgot to mention that I've been turning the light on an hour early in the morning in hopes to coax some more experience layers into laying. I only have two laying currently, one started laying about two weeks ago, and one started laying for the first time in November, but stopped after a few weeks. During the time she was laying, she had been hiding eggs in the garden shed, so she was already a problem child to begin with!

I just really, really want them to lay in the correct nest box. We are going to build their exit ramp for the pop door today. Tomorrow I'll let them out after noon hopefully after they've laid. Tomorrow will be day 6 or 7 that they've been "cooped up".