how do i get my chickens to lay IN the boxes?

[poopsydog123]

Today i got my first egg from cheeks my gold laced wyandotte but she layed it on the floor. the hens show no interest in the nesting boxes. i put hay in the form of a nest in the boxes but they scratch it out. i put a golf ball in the boxes but that didn't really work. should i wait a few days or what can i do?
p.s we ate the first egg and fried it. BEST egg ever!

 

[thebanthams]

How high is the nest? can she reach it? , try putting her in the box, maybe she was scared. BUT sometime first timers didnt know they were going to lay their first egg! she couldnt help it but to "drop " it right there !! give her time she will know.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

all i did with my POL hens was when i got them i locked them in with the nesting boxes and now they lay there fine. Lots of people don't like hay i think its great but you can also use pine shavings or nothing at all but you run into the problem of broken eggs.
Here's some good info on nesting boxes--- https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pictures-of-chicken-nesting-boxes-how-to-build-a-nest-box

 

[Red Barn Farms]

It's often suggested that the nesting boxes should be kept lower than the roosts. A lot of people sit their nesting boxes on the ground. My nesting boxes are about a foot off the ground and my chickens have layed in them since they first started laying. No problems. I did use the golf ball idea. I'm not sure if that played a part or not. Here are a few suggestions. Hope it helps.

Have enough nest boxes. One box for every 4 to 5 hens is the minimum for your hens to feel comfortable laying in them.

Make nest boxes appealing. Ensure that your nest boxes are in a dark, quiet corner of the coop. Hens have the instinct to lay their eggs in a safe place. Boxes should be a few inches off the floor.

Train them with a "nest egg." You can purchase fake ceramic eggs from feed or supply stores, or use a golf ball. When your pullets get ready to start laying, placing the fake egg in a nest box will give them the idea that the boxes are "the place" to lay their eggs, too.

Keep them confined till mid-morning. Most hens lay early in the day, so by keeping them in the coop until most of the egg-laying is done, you maximize the chances that they'll lay in the nest boxes instead of finding a cozy place outside the coop.

Make nest boxes soft and comfy. I notice that as our shavings get depleted in the nest boxes, the hens avoid them. Keep shavings or straw nice and fluffy to encourage laying in the nest boxes.


Here is an image of my nesting box design.

Each individual box measures 12x12x12 and I use straw as bedding.

 

[mickey328]

Exactly what RedBarn said!

 

[ruby m w]

What most people say really.I put fake eggs in.My chickens will usally lay then

 

[poopsydog123]

thanks! oh yeah i put eggs and golfballs in the nests and i can't wait to see when the next egg comes. i really hope it is soon.... we have a cabinet full of egg cartons to fill. ="32" />

 

[thebanthams]

remember dont eat fake eggs

 

[poopsydog123]

i'll try not to get confused
thankss!!!!

 

[poopsydog123]

this is a picture of my chicken coop. are the boxes to high or something? and in the second pic that is the ramp they go up on. is that scaring them?