How to switch nesting boxes?

[CherishedFowlGuardian]

Our chickens have new nesting boxes, and we are placing them on our large front porch to deter snakes from visiting, as we did have a snake in their previous nesting boxes. We got more nesting boxes because we recently got more chickens that are starting to lay eggs.


How do I teach them to switch nesting boxes?
I can't keep them up on my porch.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Just to make sure I understand, you have the new nesting boxes on your porch, but you don't want to leave them there long term? Where are they laying now compared to the new boxes?

Some tips for getting chickens interested in a new nest box:
- place wood shavings on the bottom with a ring of straw around the edge for them to "shape"
- place a fake egg or two in each box
- make sure it's in a private location that won't be easily interrupted
- lure them over with treats to introduce the new spot, then encourage them to enter and check things out

 

[CherishedFowlGuardian]

Just to make sure I understand, you have the new nesting boxes on your porch, but you don't want to leave them there long term? Where are they laying now compared to the new boxes?

Some tips for getting chickens interested in a new nest box:
- place wood shavings on the bottom with a ring of straw around the edge for them to "shape"
- place a fake egg or two in each box
- make sure it's in a private location that won't be easily interrupted
- lure them over with treats to introduce the new spot, then encourage them to enter and check things out

I'm leaving the nesting boxes long-term on the porch. I was saying because I know if you're going to switch some nesting boxes to a different coop, you would just leave them locked up in the coop for a few weeks, so I was saying I can't leave the chickens on the porch for a few weeks or a couple of days.

 

[perkolator]

Are the old nest boxes on the porch currently, or far away?

I would likely put old and new boxes next to one another, use fake eggs and keep transferring real eggs over to the new one, to help force a transition. If there's multiple boxes, slowly close off one at a time so their options are in the new unit.

If the old nest box is far away from the porch, I'd get them to transition, then slowly migrate the box over toward the porch to final placement.

No idea if that would actually work, but I also think a meeting with the flock and a stern lecturing will definitely help