How to get chickens to use other nesting boxes?

[nekocafe]

Hi! My chickens all like to use the same ONE nesting box. We have 5 boxes total and I am trying to figure out how to get the chickens to use the other ones that way they’re not stepping on each other or bickering over the ONE favorite. I have golf balls in a few of the other nesting boxes, but that hasn’t helped.

 

[NatJ]

That is normal with chickens. They all like to use the same one nestbox. In big flocks, there might be several favorite boxes, but they still line up and argue rather than using the other ones that are sitting empty.

It's good that you have more than one nestbox (in case some hen gets desperate and can't wait), and the golf balls are a good idea too, but your chickens will probably just keep sharing the favorite one. There's not much you can do about it.

You can check whether there is actually anything wrong with any of the others (water leaking, or bedding all scratched out, or something like that.) But they are probably fine, and your chickens are just doing what chickens like to do.

 

[Mrs. K]

Try blocking off the favorite. Then they will have to realize that there is nothing wrong with the other boxes. But generally, all of mine pick one or two and tend to lay there...then for some unknown reason - they will pick another for a while.

Mrs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

As long as they are laying in one of the nests I want them to I'm OK with it. Much better than them not laying in any of my nests. It is not that unusual for three to be piled in one of my nests laying while all other nests are empty. Sometimes I get almost all of my eggs in one nest, sometimes they are spread out among two or three different nests. Sometimes the favorite nest changes.

I cannot help you in getting them to spread out. It has never been a concern of mine. I may have suggestions on how to get them to lay in one of your nests instead of somewhere not in your nests. I have worked on that. It's not always easy.