Getting our hens to use their NEW nesting boxes

[hensmummy]

Hi there
We have had to make new boxes in a separate area for our hens.
The reason being, that they are kept locked into their coop at night time. They have boxes attached to the coop but they have been laying on the coop floor which is fine if you want the eggs with poop on them!
So I decided today to lock their coop up and I'll open it before they go to bed, and I made them new boxes out of plastic boxes we had and put them under a separate covered area. They seem fine today because the 3 that are laying I knew would not lay today - so a good opportunity to make their new nesting area. In NZ they don't really have any predators so they are free ranging all day in a fenced off area of our property........
So - how do I get them to lay in the new boxes?
Thanks

 

[lillieegg]

I've never tried this, but I've heard you can put fake eggs or something that looks like in egg in the nesting box.

 

[hannahrachel]

Like lillieegg said above, you can put fake eggs in the nestbox! Another good option is golfballs, or plastic eggs filled with sand--that, or regular eggs. Your chickens will be drawn to the new nestboxes when they think their fellow flockmates have been using them. Hope this helps!