Help getting the flock to use their nesting boxes.

[Small Farmer Jane]

We have a flock of seven, 4 1/2 month old chickens. All hands, no rooster. We have nesting boxes sitting on the floor of their coop. They pull the nesting material out. This morning our aggressive silver pheonix was especially grumpy. Looking around, I found her “nest” under some old grape vines. She is aggressive and sitting on it. Aside from tearing out my grapes, how can I get them to use their boxes?

 

[Small Farmer Jane]

Sorry. I thought I posted for nesting boxes

 

[3KillerBs]

Do you have fake eggs in the nests?

I like golf balls because I can tell them from the eggs when rooting around blindly under a broody.

 

[abpatchy]

Fake eggs is the answer. It might take a while until they get the point. This year's hens were a bit on the slow side. I had 2 fake eggs in the nesting box , yet they kept laying the eggs everywhere but in the nest. I eventually had 5 eggs in the nest and that did it. Sometimes you need patience too.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Fake eggs, and a good sized lip on the box (around 3-4") to make it hard for them to kick out nesting material/eggs.

Block off the area around the grapevine that the birds are currently using, or lock them in a run with coop access until they start using your nests.