Hen just started laying but won’t lay eggs in nesting box!

[Amz87]

hello!
I have 4 ladies and we got our 1st egg yesterday, laid from the perch and lading in a pile of poop on the tray underneath. And the same thing this morning, she’s not going to the box to lay the egg she’s just doing it sitting on her perch! Will she learn to do it in the nesting box or is there something I need to do?

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

She will figure it out with a little help. Put some fake eggs or golf balls in the nesting box to teach her where to lay.

 

[Annemade]

Do you have a fake egg or golf ball in the nest box? They like to lay eggs where there already is one. Has worked great for me. Have only had 1 egg laid outside the nest box.

 

[Amz87]

Do you have a fake egg or golf ball in the nest box? They like to lay eggs where there already is one. Has worked great for me. Have only had 1 egg laid outside the nest box.

Thank you!
No I haven’t but I will get some, this is the 1st time for me owning chickens I have no idea what I’m doing lol they also free range most of the day so I’m not sure if she’s laid them any where else either. I’m wondering if I need to make up a box outside of the coop as well?

 

[Amz87]

She will figure it out with a little help. Put some fake eggs or golf balls in the nesting box to teach her where to lay.

Thank you.

 

[aart]

I’m wondering if I need to make up a box outside of the coop as well?

Better to keep them confined to coop and run until they are well established at laying in the coop nests.

It will take some time.

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.

 

[Amz87]

Better to keep them confined to coop and run until they are well established at laying in the coop nests.

It will take some time.

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.

Thank you
She’s laid one egg a day for the last 3 days and it’s been laid early hours in the morning before I let them out. I left an egg in the box last night and she laid in the box this morning! I was surprised to see it in there. 3 more girls to start laying and I feel like our coop is too small for them all, we will have to make some adjustments.

 

[aart]

I feel like our coop is too small for them all, we will have to make some adjustments.

It is pretty small.
You could build a larger run.