how do i get my laying hens to lay eggs in the nesting box

[CluckyrulesOK]

so i have had my chickens for 5-6 months they lay their eggs in the coop rather than the nesting box i was wondering how do i encourage them to lay eggs in the nesting box
-thanks

 

[April’s Zoo]

Silly birds, always seem to think they’ve got a better idea how to do things....

Try putting golf balls or ceramic eggs in the nests. If you don’t mind sacrificing a couple of your eggs, you could use them instead... make sure to mark them though, so you can tell which are fresh....
It can take a little while for them to get the hint. Do your hens start singing before they lay? If so, you could try putting them on the nest just before she lays.

Good luck.

 

[aart]

Yes, fake eggs can really help.
But make sure nests are easily accessible to the birds.

Wait, what...

they lay their eggs in the coop rather than the nesting box

Are the nests NOT in the coop?

 

[CluckyrulesOK]

Silly birds, always seem to think they’ve got a better idea how to do things....

Try putting golf balls or ceramic eggs in the nests. If you don’t mind sacrificing a couple of your eggs, you could use them instead... make sure to mark them though, so you can tell which are fresh....
It can take a little while for them to get the hint. Do your hens start singing before they lay? If so, you could try putting them on the nest just before she lays.

Good luck.

thank you

Yes, fake eggs can really help.
But make sure nests are easily accessible to the birds.

Wait, what...
Are the nests NOT in the coop?

uhh no the nesting box is attached to the coop it a small and quiet place for them to lay eggs in

 

[aart]

uhh no the nesting box is attached to the coop it a small and quiet place for them to lay eggs in

Is the birds entrance to the nest inside or outside the coop?
Pics, please?

 

[HazelandPearl]

Mine were sleeping in the nesting boxes, I made a curtain and used a tension rod. Did the trick, now they don't sleep there and lay there!

 

[HarleyJane22]

Mine just started laying also and weren’t using the nesting box. I made curtains, put in some golf balls and no joke, the next day I had eggs in the box. I still find one on occasion out of the box. But that’s ok. I figure they’ll get it eventually.

 

[New2Chicks97]

so i have had my chickens for 5-6 months they lay their eggs in the coop rather than the nesting box i was wondering how do i encourage them to lay eggs in the nesting box
-thanks

The majority of mine think they are wild birds and prefer to lay outside in hay or grass. I tried “fake eggs” AKA gold balls because my husband golfs so it cost me nothing to try it. Didn’t work.....they played chicken soccer and kicked them out of their way. I tried forcing them to lay in the nesting boxes by locking them in which didn’t go well as they just laid on the floor. So we compromised.....I brought some left over hay bales into their larger attached run and set up long hay tunnel nests. They happily lay there. I also put a different kind of nesting box in the little attached covered run and one girl is happily laying there. Oh & they are locked in the run areas until afternoon so they don’t sneak off to the neighbors tall grass to lay their eggs.

Maybe I need to try the tension rod and curtain trick and see if that helps with the in coop nesting boxes.