Hens no longer laying in box

[MVie]

hi there I know this has been asked before but I’m new to forum and new to chickens so any additional, personal responses will help!
We have 3 hens-rhode island red, leghorn, and Ameruacana, pullets I guess, raised by us from chicks that are a little over 7 months old. They all began laying within days of one another about a month ago. They free range during the day but can go in and out of their coop.
The RIR laid first in the middle of the yard, so we put her and her egg in the box and from then on she has laid in the box, almost every day. The other two followed suit, in the box, although they aren’t as reliable. Well it’s been three days in a row without a green or white egg in the box. I thought they might be taking a break until I caught both of them red handed today-laying under the porch! The leghorn had just finished and her song called my attention to it. I went under and found 3 eggs. So they weren’t taking a break they were just laying somewhere else!
the ameraucana was still sitting so I shoo’ed her up and took her to the coop and closed her in. That was a mistake. I went back out 30 minutes later and she was pacing in the run, no egg in the box, and she was breathing with her beak open. As soon as I opened the door she ran back under the porch to lay. She was frantic and I clearly stressed her out trying to force her in.
Our two large dogs sometimes catch doves in the run when they fly in and can’t get out fast enough. But other than that I can’t think of anything that has changed or may have scared them into thinking they needed a new spot.
How do I convince them to lay in the box when they know that’s where they’re suppose to lay and clearly don’t want to?
I’m too old for Easter egg hunts, ha, please advise!

 

[azygous]

I would suspect a problem with your nest boxes. Mites perhaps. Or maybe mice or rats. You need to make a close inspection of the nests. It wouldn't hurt to dust them with permethrin poultry powder even if you see nothing. The mites could be hiding until a warm blooded hen climbs into the nest. Look for rodent droppings and try to discover how they could be entering the coop.

Meanwhile, close off all the new nesting spots so the hens don't firm up the habit of laying there. When you see them pacing near the off-limits nests, place them in the freshly dusted nest. When they discover they aren't going to get eaten alive, perhaps they'll stay.

 

[chickens really]

Lock your flock into the Coop and Run for a week to train them to use the nest boxes..Put new shavings and a bit of straw in the nests..

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Mine quit their first nest box because it became unstable on its shelf. They went readily to a new stable box with ping pong balls in it. Perhaps this could also work for you

 

[Lalo Moreno]

My new layer started great! Her first 2 eggs in the box. The next 5.... were a different story. She would lay from the roost breaking them. I put a basket under the roost with an old towel in hopes of catching the egg. Then I added more shavings and moved my nesting boxes a bit. The next morning she was back to normal laying in the nest. It’s been 5 days and all 5 eggs have been in the nest. So I’d say you examine your nesting boxes. Hens tend to be picky where they lay their eggs. After all they are its children.

 

[CannedMonster]

I put ceramic fake eggs in my nesting boxes.
I leave them there so they know it’s a good place to lay.

 

[rebrascora]

My bet is on your leghorn leading your Ameraucana astray. My leghorns were always terrors for finding new sneaky places to lay when they free ranged. Your choices are to curtail their free ranging for a while and perhaps make the nest boxes more appealing.... curtains etc can help.... and certainly check for mites and other pests to make sure there isn't something that is upsetting them with the boxes you offered, but in my experience, leghorns are just wily and they will lay where you want them to for a while and then go back to doing their own thing. Your other option is to accept the porch nest and leave a couple of fake eggs in there whilst you collect the real eggs daily. My leghorns got sick of me raiding their sneaky nests when I found them and moved on to a new sneaky nest not long after I discovered one. I started playing a game with them where I would install a "pop up" nest in a hideaway location and see how long it would take them to discover it and lay in it. I used to sneak around the yard like "the Pink Panther" trying to keep tracks on them but if they saw me watching, they would not settle.... sneaky little oiks! My daily egg hunt often involved climbing ladders or crawling into bushes or tight spaces between sheds.... they kept me on my toes!!
Option number 3 would be to get rid of your leghorn and my bet would be that your ameraucana will then toe the line and lay in the nest boxes with the RIR..... but where is the fun in that!

 

[Reiki Rooster]

I have used golf balls instead of ping pong, it's what I had and it worked for some of my chickens for a bit. Now they just prefer my goats hay house. I gave up on that battle last year after 2 years of fighting. I have seen a chicken chase a goat, I'm not messing with that.

 

[SonoranChick]

I also use golf balls, they work like magic for me. My red star started laying in the nest box, then when the sunrise time changed with the seasons, she got a bit confused (or lazy...) and began laying from the roost. After a few weeks of seeing the golf balls in the nest she realized that it was a safe place to lay, even when it's still dark at dawn.
Adding to the leghorn conversation....my brown leghorn will lay her egg anywhere she pleases if she doesn't like the nest box for whatever reason, she makes or finds her own private nest! I find it quite endearing and don't mind the occasional Easter egg hunt. This is in great contrast to my white leghorn, who will lay in the box no matter what. Chickens are stubborn and silly and that's why we love them!

 

[Lalo Moreno]

I use some marvel/granite eggs that I got on vacation. Had no use for them and decided to toss them in the nest and for the most part I think they work.