How to get chickens to lay in nesting boxes

Jan 2, 2021
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I know the question has probably been answers somewhere on here before, but I can’t figure out the search on here.
one of my Red sex links recently started laying Eggs But after she layed 3 eggs in the nesting boxes I noticed she stoped, so I searched the coop and found a clutch of 5 in the loft where I used to keep storage. Yesterday when I walked down to let them out, I checked the loft found her up there. I brought her down and put her in a nesting box. Right after I put her in she walked right out and ( very conveniently under the roosts that I not yet cleaned the poop out from underneath) POPED OUT AN EGG! Right in the middle of the floor.
This moring I found her in the loft again. There ars golf balls in the nesting boxes and all the other birds lay in them but I can’t figure out how the get her to lay in the nesting boxes. Does any body have any suggestions ?
Thanks
 
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Don't feel badly, I can never get the BY search to work, either.

The problem you're having exists because the hens have too many other nesting options in your barn. Your choices are to accept that every so often, a hen will get creative with the nesting options or you can block off these options, forcing them all to use only the nesting boxes.

It's much like with humans - if you tempt them with doing the wrong thing and make it as easy or easier than doing the right thing, guess which they will choose almost every time?
 
Don't feel badly, I can never get the BY search to work, either.

The problem you're having exists because the hens have too many other nesting options in your barn. Your choices are to accept that every so often, a hen will get creative with the nesting options or you can block off these options, forcing them all to use only the nesting boxes.

It's much like with humans - if you tempt them with doing the wrong thing and make it as easy or easier than doing the right thing, guess which they will choose almost every time?
Thanks!
If I ordered some chicken wire or netting, and blocked the loft would she figure out not to lay up there? I also don’t really wan’t her up there because she is one of the top hens so most of the birds seem to listen to what she does. And mnay of my other birds coud easily fly up there.
 
She'll certainly try to find a way to get to her illicit nesting spot, but she'll give up when she can't figure out a way. Chickens can be very clever, so don't assume your efforts are effective. Keep checking. You may find you need to modify something to discourage her.
 

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