Has anyone successfully been able to stop ...

[sheetmetalpete]

Has anyone successfully been able to stop hens/pullets from egglaying on the floor?

I've got a 4:1 ratio of birds to nesting boxes, bedding material in the boxes, fake eggs and plenty of other pullets laying in the boxes but one or two are laying on the floor in the coop almost daily. I debated if the other nests were in use when this happens but over the weekend I was in the coop, nests were empty and there she was on the floor laying an egg.

I now know to look on the floor for an egg but they're rather dirty by the time I get them. I guess I don't mind but if anyone has been successful in stopping it, I'm all ears.

 

[CMV]

The only way I got them to stop was by putting a feed dish in the favorite spots. At one point I think I had most of the floor space covered in dishes. Once they were trained to use the dishes I started to remove them one by one. I now have one dish tucked in one corner, and it's the best nesting box in the house. All the hens fight over it, and I frequently find 2 hens wedged into it at the same time when I collect eggs in the morning. Silly birds!

Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I put golf balls in the nest and then lifted them into it- Not "making them" stay but just so that they were in there- About the third time they investigated and since the one got a clue. At least two are laying in the nest right now and one is still laying in the rafters. But the floor is no longer a place they lay their eggs.

 

[sheetmetalpete]

Great ideas. If I can't catch them in the act on the floor, I'll try the feed dish trick. Otherwise this might get old - found 4 eggs on the floor yesterday.