Hens not laying in nesting boxes

[jnicholes]

Just letting you all know that I spoke too soon. I just went out there, and I actually witnessed one of my laying hens lay an egg IN THE NESTING BOX.

It was really cool to witness her pushing out the egg. Also good to know that now they’re using the nesting box.

Here’s what I did, I took an egg that was laid earlier today and I put it in the nesting box. I think they knew that those ceramic eggs and golf balls were fake. Once I put the real egg there, she started laying in the nesting box.

It’s too early to tell, but we’ll see if this works.

I will keep all the other advice you gave me in mind. Thank you very much.

 

[PoppasGrill]

We just purchased a set of 3 nesting boxes that mount on the wall and the egg is supposed to roll down to be protected from breakage/ egg eaters.
We got 2 eggs in it the first day, then kaputz, nothing. Put curtains in fron of it to give em some privacy but still nothing.
The Ladies lay in the other old nest boxes and usually in only 3 of the 9 we have available to them, not counting the new ones. We will still find an egg hidden in the corner , partly buried in the hey.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Here’s what I did, I took an egg that was laid earlier today and I put it in the nesting box. I think they knew that those ceramic eggs and golf balls were fake. Once I put the real egg there, she started laying in the nesting box.

They don't know that they're fake. Mine are probably more protective of the golf balls than actual eggs, at least golf balls are fun to roll around.

And yes agree with the others, these are young layers so not unusual for them to take a while to figure out where to lay. If they continue to lay in the wrong place(s) for weeks then there's other things to try.