I'm Happy She's Laying Eggs.... But in the Rabbit Coop?!?!

[sarastamand]

I have a pullet that is 26 weeks old this week. She decided to lay her first egg yesterday. In the rabbit house none the less... I have 7 pullets. She is the LAST one to start laying out of them all. Everybody else uses the nesting boxes as they should. I believe she is the last of the pecking order or second to last.

How do I get her to use the boxes? I thought about leaving the coop shut as they are typically free range when I am home (minimum 4 hours per day). But I also don't want to "punish" everybody. What should I do?

 

[ashlierami]

I have a pullet that is 26 weeks old this week. She decided to lay her first egg yesterday. In the rabbit house none the less... I have 7 pullets. She is the LAST one to start laying out of them all. Everybody else uses the nesting boxes as they should. I believe she is the last of the pecking order or second to last.

How do I get her to use the boxes? I thought about leaving the coop shut as they are typically free range when I am home (minimum 4 hours per day). But I also don't want to "punish" everybody. What should I do?

If she's the bottom on the pecking order then that's alot to do with it. She probably doesn't feel safe trying to lay with the other girls especially if she's bullied. For a few days you may have to close it up so she will have no choice. Having enough nests is important to. I have 6 girls but I have to have 6 nests because everyone seems to lay at the same time and now they are fighting over one nest. It's the same as the others I guess it's just the best seat in the house .
Golf balls or wooden eggs help to. I would place her on the nest to and show her where eggs go, preferably when there are eggs in there already.

 

[aart]

I thought about leaving the coop shut as they are typically free range when I am home (minimum 4 hours per day).

What time of day does this 4 hours happen?
Ranging late afternoon/evening may provide enough 'confinement time' to get her using the nests.
As long as they have ample space in coop and run, and they already spend most their time in there, I would not consider confining them 24/7 for a week as 'punishment'.
It may bother you more than them

 

[sealer39]

Can you put a temporary nest box in the coup away from the other nest boxes?