How to get a chicken to stop laying in an area and lay in the box?

[Roht]

So I’ve got 12 chickens various types and ages. My youngest ones started laying about six months ago but for some reason one of them will not lay in the box. She always lays under it. I’d like her to lay in the box as it makes it easier to collect the eggs for my six year old. I’ve tried moving the eggs to the box but she still lays under it in the sand. So I tried adding jagged rocks under the box where she lays but she still lays there. Any ideas of what I can do to get her to stop. Like I said I have 12 so I’m not sure which one it is.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

I would totally block off where you don't want her to lay.
It could be also that she is the underdog of the bunch and the other chickens won't let her lay where your wanting her to. I have one little chicken that the others discriminate because she's the lowest on the totem pole so she purposely avoids contact with the others and lays apart from them.

 

[Roht]

Yes I’m going to try but as you can see in the picture it is right where the feed ports are.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

Maybe stuff some hay right up til you get to the feeder or get a milk crate or box with bedding in a reachable spot and she might use it instead

 

[aart]

Maybe put a perch on the front of the nests.

 

[Roht]

So I started with blocking it off. But as you can see she just moved locations. Next I think I will try to (like Mr.FluffyandGirls said) make a open nesting box with a milk crate or something in front of it and I’ll try to raise it up to the level of the other nesting boxes over time. Then just remove it. And see what she does.

 

[Roht]

Ni

Maybe put a perch on the front of the nests.

not sure the perch will work as the nesting boxes are made from 1/4 inch ply wood with a designed bottom that drops out to quick clean the hay inside of them.

 

[aart]

not sure the perch will work as the nesting boxes are made from 1/4 inch ply wood with a designed bottom that drops out to quick clean the hay inside of them.

Mount them on the front, attachment screws driven from inside nest front.
Something like this, but brackets in a bit from sides.

 

[Roht]

So this is what has happened so far. I blocked the area, built up the area and it worked for a while. But once I removed it...they started laying there again. I don’t like the idea of leaving the blocks because they crap all over them and it’s a pain to clean.