I have had my hens for over a year and the have always laid in the nest box, but me chick which I hatched had just started laying and just lays her egg in the coop somewhere. Now all my other hens are laying just randomly in the coop and they have all abandoned the nest box. Any ideas how I can get them to lay in the nesting box again?
Use some fake eggs, ceramic or clay eggs, in the nest boxes. A hen is most comfortable laying an egg where another hen has also laid an egg. So if a hen sees a fake egg in the nest boxes, she will think it is safe to lay there. Next, clean out your nest boxes. If they get too dirty, they have bugs, or there is something in the boxes like mice or even a snake, they won't use the boxes. So clean them out and add new nesting material. And finally, try to collect any eggs that are laid in the coop as soon as possible so that none of the other hens follow their actions. Hopefully these suggestions will get them back to laying in the boxes. Good luck!
