Getting Ladies to lay in a new SPOT! help

[PlumpChicken]

I built my girls a better nesting box but they are not using it... I am not even sure they are going in it period. They stand on top of it... they will walk under it... just haven't seen them in it. It has only been in there run for 2 nights so I might be rushing it. As of now they are laying eggs on the ground in a little box I made. I have not lost any eggs but the main issue with them laying there is that they crap all over them usually. If you go to the link below it is a video of the same nest box I made.... I am looking for opinions on weather or not you think my hens can get in it easily or not...

If you go to 4:59 on this video you will see the type of nesting box I built for my 5 ISA Bown hens.



Also I am thinking I will have to block off the spot they are used to laying in... because I think they will keep laying there because that is there routine.

 

[PlumpChicken]

That is not me in the video. I got the idea from this video and loved the nest box he made.

 

[PlumpChicken]

Any advice?

 

[easteregger96]

Maybe you can try some plastic easter eggs or golf balls in the new nest box. Sometimes that works.

 

[devora]

Those nextboxes are different!

So, how to get them to go in? Assuming you have lots of nice, clean bedding in them w/ a fake egg, I'd set each bird inside there. Pick 'em up, put 'em in. Sometimes I rub the fake egg on their breast and set the bird on top of it all cozy.

Is it possible to block the area to the old nest?

 

[PlumpChicken]

Yeah I suppose I will have to block off the old spot... I just don't think they know what they are supposed to do in the new nest boxes. I will have to try golf balls and then set them in the buckets.