Hens not laying in nest box...what 2 do

[aguirre]

I have 8 hens; all 6-7 months old and laying really good. Problem is that only four are using the nest boxes. We free range and have found many outside their area. They fly over the fence and lay elsewhere...We have thrown away about 5 dozen eggs we have found and they just find another place to lay. I tried keeping the layers (we have a roo and 11 three month olds not laying) in the coop to use the boxes and after four days of only getting 3-5 eggs I figured I just upset their laying pattern and began letting them out only to find my RIR's and 2 ameracaunas laying elsewhere again...any suggestions?

 

[airmom1c05]

Try putting some golf balls in the nest boxes and don't let them out of the coop until they lay. After a week or so, you can let them out early again. It worked for me!