If you build it, will they come?

[Hoffy]

I'm a first-timer and my pullets are about 19 weeks old (Welsummer and Australorp). I have two nest boxes about 20" off the floor of the coop. They must be getting close to egg-laying time, but the nest box is empty...

I can put in a golf ball or something in the nest box, but is there anything else I can do to get them to lay in the nest box? A temporary nest box on the coop floor under the "real" nest boxes?

Thanks!

 

[TXchickmum]

My Golden Comets weren't interested at all in their nest boxes until they were about 17 weeks old. At that point, they began going to them on their own and just checking them out. The next week, two of them left their foraging spree in the lawn and made their way to the coop/nest boxes. I had two eggs about 15 minutes later! -never used any golf balls. I suppose they just instinctively knew what to do.
I know that the faux egg scenario seems to help sometimes. -don't know that it is necessary to place nest boxes on the ground. I think they'll find where they're supposed to lay. -best of luck!

 

[terryg]

It's good that your pullets aren't in the nesting box yet! The last thing that you want is to have them sitting in there and pooping but not laying. In fact, I don't give my young birds access to nesting boxes until they are at point of lay. To get them to lay in the boxes, dummy eggs are a good idea. If your hens free-range, you might want to keep them inside for the mornings so that they lay in the coop and don't go finding nests to hide the eggs in. Once they get in the habit of laying in the coop, even when free-ranign they usually come home to lay.

 

[7L Farm]

I would put the boxes like this so you don't have to bend down to pick up the eggs. That's how I have mine in three different coops.

 

[Hoffy]

It's good that your pullets aren't in the nesting box yet! The last thing that you want is to have them sitting in there and pooping but not laying. In fact, I don't give my young birds access to nesting boxes until they are at point of lay. To get them to lay in the boxes, dummy eggs are a good idea. If your hens free-range, you might want to keep them inside for the mornings so that they lay in the coop and don't go finding nests to hide the eggs in. Once they get in the habit of laying in the coop, even when free-ranign they usually come home to lay.

My hens do spend all day outside in a large fenced-off area, but it is small enough that they shouldn't be hiding eggs anywhere. I guess my problem right now though, is that I don't quite know how to tell when they are ready to start laying. I wasn't sure if they would start, well, nesting and making the nest boxes comfy. I'll just keep waiting and watching...

Oh, thanks for the suggestion 7L. My nest boxes are close to the coop floor, but about 3.5 feet off the ground since the coop is raised for the chickens to go underneath for shade.