Getting Chickens in Nest box

[jeepin_in_wv]

I built a great set of nest boxes for my ladies(at least I think they are great) but the girls will not go in them.
Anything I can do to help get them to start going in the boxes?

Thanks
Ann

 

[TaLani]

Do your girls mostly free range or are they in a run? If they are in a run, are they laying them on the ground or at least near the nest boxes? Golf balls, wooden eggs or ceramic eggs work well. In a pinch I suppose plastic easter eggs wld work too - my 8yr old daughter thought of that one.

 

[@migocontodos~]

Anything round in the nest will surely make them feel at home in there as well as a nice bedding of straw or hay...
I also added perches in front of my nest boxes to give them girls something to land on and walk on. That seemed to help more than the straw and round objects.
Chickens are nosey by nature so if you put it up for them to land on or walk on...they WILL find it!

 

[Guitartists]

I put straw in mine and golf balls seem to help let them know what it;s for

 

[vickiemontana]

I'm sooooo glad my girls are smarter than me. I never would have thought of any of those things. I picked mine up and stuck her in the box. She was so scared that she just stayed there. Then, they were all in the boxes. I did have to shut them inside when they first started laying so they quit laying in the yard, porch, wherever. That worked the first time tho. PLASTIC EASTER EGGS!!! Smart little girl!!!

 

[jeepin_in_wv]

Thanks for all the sugestions but I did not have to use them, 2 days after my post I went out and they had been in the boxes and I got my first egg

 

[cmom]

I used golf ball in my nest boxes. My girls have been good and lay in the nests.

Congratulations on your first egg. It's so eggciting!!!

 

[jubylives]

I tried golf balls but it didn't work for me. I used some ceramic eggs I got at Hobby Lobby. I marked them so they wouldn't be picked up but they lay where ever I put them. Well except for the older girls. They have their box of choice and do not like anyone else in there. LOL very funny to watch.


jeremy