How to get hen to lay in the nest box?

[Daphne16]

I am new at this 1 of my 20 week old production reds started laying last weekend I have gotten 5 eggs, but 4 of them have been broken. I check multiple times a day for eggs and to visit with my chickens. All of the eggs have been in the run and not in the nest box, so my question is how do I get her to lay in the nest box and not the run? I feed grower feed with oyster shells on the side right now because I have 11 week olds upto 20 week olds ( a total of 5 hens). They are not freeranged, but are let out for a little while to play with us.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

It may help to put a couple of golf balls in the nesting box to give them the idea. Worked for me.

 

[Daphne16]

I forgot to mention I have golfballs in the nest boxes.

 

[Tenmore]

Golf balls, fake eggs Do you know who is laying? And what time of day she is laying? I had one that was doing kind of the same thing every other day between 0900 an 1000 am so I started putting her in the box for about 1.5 hrs everymorning. Did this for 4 days. 1st and 3rd day 1 egg 2nd and 4th no egg and on the 5 day I watched her and at 0915 she went in to the nest box and I went and checked at 0935 and she had layed in the box never had a problem since everyday in the box.... Are they using the oyster shells ? They might be broken because they are soft Mine was laying in the run but very few were broken. I would get them on layer feed asap so they are getting the calcium they need...I know you have mixed ages but but I would get them on the layer. Good luck Keep us posted

 

[Daphne16]

I know which one is laying and it is every other day between 1:00 and 4:00. I will put her in at around 12:30 tomorrow and let her out again around 4:30. I will try to do that for a few days.

The shells are about as hard as store bought eggs, they are devouring the oyster shells (1lb in 4 days). I also have been feeding egg shells dryed and crushed to them on the side of their feed. I am going to start mixing the feeds with the layer pellets since I only have about a week or two left of the grower left. I will start that tonight.

thanks for all of the help