Help! Not laying in nest

[Sammiboo867]

Help please! My girls have started laying! So, as a poultry parent I am beyond excited! But, it was in my bale of hay under my house and Not in the wonderful nesting boxes they have in the coop. They don’t really use them for anything. They all roost on the rafters about 6ft off the ground at night when they sleep and free range all day so the coop is pretty much strictly for sleeping at night. How do I get them to know they can go in the coop during the day and use the boxes so I’m not chasing down chicken eggs on my acreage everyday?? lol any advice? (I’ve already tried the “egg in the nest” and they could care less)

 

[Kiki]

Have you tried leaving them locked up in the coop for a few days?
Is it large enough to do so?

 

[TheLittleFarm18]

Yeah I second the keeping them locked in coop... although I have at least two that insist on laying where they dang please no matter how long I keep them on lock down

 

[petmainia]

I have 2 bantams that dig their own nests where every they please. But my other 12 chickens seem to enjoy laying eggs on top of the ever broody silkie.
We had to make the nest boxes as safe as possible and filled with wood shavings. At first they just dug out nests in there and then went outside to lay their eggs but after a while one decided to sleep in the boxes and they started laying in that one.

 

[aart]

Have you tried leaving them locked up in the coop for a few days?
Is it large enough to do so?

Ditto Dat^^^

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.