Hen not laying in nesting box

[Princess Lay- A]

I have 6 hens that are 7 months old and have been using the nesting boxes since they started laying . I have 1 hen that is all of a sudden laying in the corner of the coop ( she was the first hen to start laying) my boxes have curtains and everyone else is using the boxes without fail. Any idea why all of a sudden she is boycotting the nesting boxes , I have 2 boxes and always change out the nesting pads if they get dirty.I put fake eggs in each box. I caught her in the act , and gently put her in the box which she then proceeded to run outside into the run. What else can I do? Or will she eventually go back to the box on her own. I don’t want the other girls to decide “well if she can do It so can I”.

 

[TooCheep]

If this is a 1-time thing, don't worry about it. Chickens can occasionally lay in odd locations: in the coop, over night from the roosting bar, etc. They'll almost always go back to the "usual" spot next time.

Otherwise:
Is she low on the pecking order? Chickens are fairly mean when they want to get into a nest box and someone else lower on the pecking order is there.

BYCers commonly recommend 1 nest/4 chickens, but I've seen way too much drama and noise over nesting boxes and have gone to 1 nest/2 chickens. My girls commonly lay 6 eggs/week which is more than many breeds, so that affects the amount of time they spend in the nest boxes.

It is possible others will copy her, but I doubt it. Chickens prefer a quiet, darkish, enclosed, safe area to lay. That's why I suspect she is being bullied and laying in an alternate location. If that fits your situation, then see if you can add another nesting box.