How to make Chickens to lay in nesting box...

[highpointfarm]

Hey guys We started out letting our chickens free range dawn to dusk. Even once they started laying they still came back to the nesting box. But a few months ago we stopped getting eggs. So i went looking around and found a clutch of over 5 dozen eggs. We kept them penned up for a while and they started laying in the boxes again.. so then we tried letting them out.. they then started laying other places so now they are back in their pen.. any ideas????

 

[Judy]

If you can, you could only let them out after about 2 or 3 PM. At least most of the day's eggs should have been laid by then.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Yes, I agree with Flockwatcher. You can put up a larger pen with some temporary fencing (a temporary run) to keep them from laying in hidden spots, too. (If you think your pen is too small for them to live in.)

Make sure you have golf balls or fake eggs in the nests.

 

[QueenBeeMom]

Thanks for the thread.
Just recently, one of my hens has been laying most of her eggs outside of the nesting boxes. I am pretty sure I know who she is, and I have reason to believe that she is being bullied out of the nesting boxes by my dominant hen. Does anyone have any thoughts on how to deal with this nuance?