Hens not laying in nest boxes

[Navahogirl]

My hens free range and just started to lay eggs. I am beside myself that they are not using their nesting boxes they just drop them anywhere.
Do I keep them held up in coop in morning to lay their first egg?

 

[CluckerFamily]

My chickens don't just lay in the morning, they lay throughout the day. If weather is good and not too hot, I would leave them locked in the coop for a couple days.
Another thing you can try, chickens are curious, put those eggs you gather on the ground into the nesting boxes before you gather them at the end of the day. Chickens will check on them throughout the day and hopefully learn where they go.

 

[Navahogirl]

My chickens don't just lay in the morning, they lay throughout the day. If weather is good and not too hot, I would leave them locked in the coop for a couple days.
Another thing you can try, chickens are curious, put those eggs you gather on the ground into the nesting boxes before you gather them at the end of the day. Chickens will check on them throughout the day and hopefully learn where they go.

Thank you! I will try this. I have fake eggs in the nesting boxes and privacy sheet in front of them cut into strips. I have several hens that are at the point of laying so I will keep them in there with food and water

 

[GC-Raptor]

Yes, keep in a large coop if it's not hot inside or their pen till noon at least.
I've never let my pullets free range till all have been laying in the coop for at least a month.
I have small coops so I let them into a large pen by sunrise.
I've only had 3 or 4 eggs laid in their pen as pullets and only found one egg in the yard laid late afternoon. GC

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

I agree to keep them locked up until they realize that's where they are supposed to and they'll realize it's a safe place to do so. I always keep my chicks locked up in the run/coop where I want them to lay until they start laying then I let them free range and so far i have not had one go rouge and lay any where else.

 

[Navahogirl]

Yes, keep in a large coop if it's not hot inside or their pen till noon at least.
I've never let my pullets free range till all have been laying in the coop for at least a month.
I have small coops so I let them into a large pen by sunrise.
I've only had 3 or 4 eggs laid in their pen as pullets and only found one egg in the yard laid late afternoon. GC

Thank you so much!