Hens won’t lay in the chicken tractor nest box?

[lefttowrite]

Hi there. One of my girls got eaten by a coyote this spring, so I’ve been putting the remaining hens in a chicken tractor (with food, water, shade, a roost, and a nest box) so they have some protection but can still forage.

They seem happy to go in / be in it…until it’s time to lay. Then they act like sad little prisoners and press their heads against the hardware cloth asking to come out. When I let them out, they make a beeline for their coop so they can lay.

How do I help them get used to the nesting box in the tractor? It’s bigger than the ones in their coop, and I only have five hens so it’s not like they’re all fighting over it. I even have a nesting pad and fake egg in there to encourage laying.

Any ideas?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hens can be determined about laying where they want to lay. Can you cut off access to the other coop?

 

[Mrs. K]

Do you have a run on the coop? Just leave them there until they lay, then in the afternoon - put them out in the tractor.

 

[The Sniper]

just dont let them out? eventually they will have to lay the egg somewhere, and if you keep them away, eventually they will just start laying by habit in the tractor

 

[someonewholovesgeese]

just dont let them out? eventually they will have to lay the egg somewhere, and if you keep them away, eventually they will just start laying by habit in the tractor

your description is funny