How to get my hen to lay in her nest

[Haleyjo4]

Ok, so i have hens laying i can not get them to lay in there nest at all ive tried everthinv even the fake eggs but they dont seem to care on of my hens was sitting on 5 eggs out in the shop it took me a week to find her it scared me i thouvht she may have been dead but then the dog eat all 5 eggs which made me sad cause i was ready for those babys so to avoid this problem i need help to get her to lay in the nest so this problem dont occur agian but the fake eggs dont work with my hens.

 

[A.M. Eggs]

Keep them in the coop for a few days and then let them out and see if that helps. Hope you can fix your problem!

 

[Chelseyb123]

Yeah I had this problem over the summer. First make sure next boxes are in a safe dark place in the coop. Have it cleanish an add the fake eggs or use real ones (I've done both) and leave them cooped up. And then hopefully they'll get where to lay the eggs. my girls would lay in the boxes an than some cockerels started to roost on them. But They do lay in the house but in a corner nest they all make. I just started the fake egg in the box again today an its winter here in Maine so the dont go outta the pen right now. hopefully they will lay in the box again.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Haleyjo4,

Most hens like some privacy when they are laying an egg. If the nests are open, sometimes they go on a search for a secluded spot. This is why many keepers, such as myself, have added curtains to the nest boxes. A hen wants to feel safe when she is laying an egg, especially a broody hen.

Hens will also play follow the leader. If a hen finds a good spot, some of the other hens will want to lay their egg in that nest too. Hopefully, this happens in the coop, then you won't have to go on an Easter egg hunt, each day.

Behind these curtains are the nest boxes.

Each box has a fake egg in it, but of the 6 nest boxes, only 3 are used by my 9 hens.

Well, that's how it goes in my coop. I hope this was helpful.

God Bless

 

[Hufflefluff]

To add to the posters above, all of who have excellent suggestions, I'd recommend making it harder for her to get to where she's laying now- an overturned pot, a small fence, or an upturned crate placed over her current spot should all deter her from laying there. If you have time during the day, ushering her into the coop when she's beginning to look for somewhere to lay could help, as could making the nest boxes more similar to her chosen place- if she's laying under something, add curtains, if she's laying somewhere dark, ake them darker, if she's laying far away from the rest of the flock, consider what might be driving that behaviour.

(although some hens are just plain crazy- I had a buff orp who layed in my garden, my garden shed, beneath the trampoling, under a tree, in a patch of mint, behind a fence, and under a wheelbarrow before I finally got her to use the dang nest box- and even then, I'd have to start all over after I inevitably had to break her from being broody! )

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Haleyjo4,

Most hens like some privacy when they are laying an egg. If the nests are open, sometimes they go on a search for a secluded spot. This is why many keepers, such as myself, have added curtains to the nest boxes. A hen wants to feel safe when she is laying an egg, especially a broody hen.

Hens will also play follow the leader. If a hen finds a good spot, some of the other hens will want to lay their egg in that nest too. Hopefully, this happens in the coop, then you won't have to go on an Easter egg hunt, each day.

Behind these curtains are the nest boxes.
View attachment 1258597

Each box has a fake egg in it, but of the 6 nest boxes, only 3 are used by my 9 hens.

Well, that's how it goes in my coop. I hope this was helpful.

God Bless

Haleyjo4,

Another thing I do, is I keep the hens in their pen until the afternoon. That way they will at least lay in the run. But, over the years I have only found maybe five eggs laid on the dirt, in the run.

 

[Haleyjo4]

Yeah I had this problem over the summer. First make sure next boxes are in a safe dark place in the coop. Have it cleanish an add the fake eggs or use real ones (I've done both) and leave them cooped up. And then hopefully they'll get where to lay the eggs. my girls would lay in the boxes an than some cockerels started to roost on them. But They do lay in the house but in a corner nest they all make. I just started the fake egg in the box again today an its winter here in Maine so the dont go outta the pen right now. hopefully they will lay in the box again.

Alright thanks mine have laid in the corner of there house before it would just be nice for them to lay in there nest

 

[Haleyjo4]

To add to the posters above, all of who have excellent suggestions, I'd recommend making it harder for her to get to where she's laying now- an overturned pot, a small fence, or an upturned crate placed over her current spot should all deter her from laying there. If you have time during the day, ushering her into the coop when she's beginning to look for somewhere to lay could help, as could making the nest boxes more similar to her chosen place- if she's laying under something, add curtains, if she's laying somewhere dark, ake them darker, if she's laying far away from the rest of the flock, consider what might be driving that behaviour.

(although some hens are just plain crazy- I had a buff orp who layed in my garden, my garden shed, beneath the trampoling, under a tree, in a patch of mint, behind a fence, and under a wheelbarrow before I finally got her to use the dang nest box- and even then, I'd have to start all over after I inevitably had to break her from being broody! )

OK then I'll try it out thanks

 

[Haleyjo4]

Greetings Haleyjo4,
Thanks that helps I think why my her laid so far away was because I have 3 roosters and 3 hens because I was gone for a while and left my sister in charge and she sold some and that's what I was left with I'm selling to roosters cause of that but I think she may be scared the will try and breed her
Most hens like some privacy when they are laying an egg. If the nests are open, sometimes they go on a search for a secluded spot. This is why many keepers, such as myself, have added curtains to the nest boxes. A hen wants to feel safe when she is laying an egg, especially a broody hen.

Hens will also play follow the leader. If a hen finds a good spot, some of the other hens will want to lay their egg in that nest too. Hopefully, this happens in the coop, then you won't have to go on an Easter egg hunt, each day.

Behind these curtains are the nest boxes.
View attachment 1258597

Each box has a fake egg in it, but of the 6 nest boxes, only 3 are used by my 9 hens.

Well, that's how it goes in my coop. I hope this was helpful.

God Bless

 

[chickens really]

Hello. Lock them in the Coop and Run for a few days. They need to be trained to use nest boxes otherwise they go off and find their own spots..I have never used a fake egg ever.
Best of luck.