How to get them to investigate the nesting boxes?

[TheOddOneOut]

Just updating for any one else with this question now that we've had an egg (and another one this morning!)

We put them all in the nesting boxes a couple more times - just plopped them in there after catching them. Our olive egger seemed the most interested (in that the others had no interest), so we did it a few extra times with her. She's also the smartest, so she seems to have gotten the picture.

She started squatting about two weeks ago, consistently about a week ago. Around that time, she also started screwing around in the coop more, digging in the shavings. And we noticed more digging in the boxes the last few days.

And then, yesterday, an egg!

All of which is to say, that - unsurprisingly - everyone here was right. They mostly want to do the right thing instinctively, and will do it when they're good and ready. I don't know if our showing them the egg boxes helped - but it certainly didn't hurt, and made me feel like we were *doing something* while we (im)patiently waited for eggs.

(Based on some searching on the boards on my next question, I also plan to just leave a fake egg in each box; that seems to be the consensus.)

Thanks again, folks!

Yay! Pics? I bet it’s little.

 

[Lids]

My three girls turn 18 weeks tomorrow. My RIR has a big ol comb and wattles, so I know she's getting relatively close. My BR is starting to develop, and I assume my Olive Egger will take a bit more time.

We installed two nesting boxes for them - I know that's one more than we really need, but we had the space. They're 18" off the floor of the coop. We installed them two weeks ago.

The way our coop is structured, the girls walk in under the nesting boxes to get at their perches. And best I can tell, they just think we've installed some weird new infrastructure above their heads but are completely uninterested in the boxes.

I've tried offering mealworms through the egg retrieval door - that just led to sort of comedy vertical hops to snatch bugs. We tried placing each bird in one of the boxes. They seemed confused and uninterested, and hopped down. I've got wooden eggs in each nest with a little pine shaving on top, so I'll know if they're disturbed.

The really only visit the coop to sleep - they spend their whole day out in the run. So they just sort of troop in at the last minute before nightfall and perch up. I don't think it occurs to them to seek out other things in the coop. I've seen a little evidence of digging in a corner, but nothing that looks like, "I am building a nest."

Any tricks to make the boxes seem more interesting? Or will they really just clamber up there when it's time? I don't want them to get in a habit of laying elsewhere if the urge comes upon them.

Thanks!

I had great success with gholf balls (picked up on the beach across the years ☺). Some had 1 and one had 2 eggs. They immediately started making a different sound, tshrrrr tshrrr while checking out the nests.

 

[maryn7]

Yay! Pics? I bet it’s little.

Today's was a little bigger - but they are both perfect, as is she, obviously. ☺

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Today's was a little bigger - but they are both perfect, as is she, obviously. ☺

From the olive egger?

 

[maryn7]

From the olive egger?

Yep. Was so surprised she was first. And I didn't figure she'd lay two days in a row. But maybe still working it all out.


She's *resting* now. All sprawled out under the coop in a sunbeam. Such a drama queen.