I got 18 eggs yesterday out of 5 birds, a personal best.

[aart]

I keep the fake eggs/golf balls in the nests all the time.

I'd lock em up for a while..hopefully your coop / run is large enough....will habituate them to laying in the coop nests again.

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for 2-3 days can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. They can be confined to coop 24/7 for a few days to a week, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.


ETA: Saw this ..."I got 18 eggs yesterday out of 5 birds, a personal best."....
......and was gonna ask, how hard did you have to squeeze them? haha

 

[appps]

Personally I'd chuck the eggs, I mean what are we talking $3-4? A dozen eggs means some have been there for quite a while being warmed under her butt each day.

And yes I'd lock them all in the run for a few days so she can watch and copy the others using the nest box. A dozen eggs could also mean she isn't the only one laying there so I'd keep them all locked in. Won't hurt them to have less of a wander for a few days.