Is there a way to encourage A.M. egg laying?

[tommysgirl]

We want to allow our hens to use a tractor for grazing when we are home during the day. They will be cooped at night.

A)Do I need to provide a nesting area in the tractor?
B) if so how elaborate?
C) I have heard that like human women they get their cycles synchronized so can they be conditioned to lay in the mornings in the coop?

Does anyone else do this? We have a coop and my wonderful husband has almost finished the enclosure. Our chicks turned 4 weeks old today and should be moved outside by mid-week. So laying is obviously a few months off. I see the lovely enclosed coops you have on the coops page but didn't know if others who had enclosed coops had like grazing pens which is what I am thinking in my head I will make.

Anyway, I posted this on the coops forum and got wonderful answers to my coop questions but not to the laying/nesting box part so I brought my question over here

Thanks in advance!

ETA: I have 7 pullets now. Our coop can accommodate up to 10 so may add in the future

 

[Den in Penn]

Put a nest in the tractor, only has to be elaborate enough so you can gather the egg without the hens getting out. When they first start to lay, they lay any time of the day. eventually they settle down and all MOSTLY lay during a time of the day. My present flock lays towards the middle of the day. Some flocks lay at other times. Maybe you can train them to lay in the morning, that's something I never had reason to think about.

 

[tommysgirl]

Thanks so much...an egg crate would work then? Should I put a lip on it?

 

[Den in Penn]

A box with a floor of 12"x12" will work. A lip of around 4" to keep the nesting material in is needed. and about 12" high or open top.