Laying egg from perch, pushes fake eggs out of box

[marmosetpants]

Hi -

We have four pullets, a rhode island red, new hampshire red, plymouth barred rock and a sex link.
Only the sex link has started to lay, and for the first week and a half she laid her eggs in the nest box next to a fake egg (She's been laying about 2 weeks).
We took the fake egg out once she got the hang of it.
PROBLEM:
-- A few days ago we started finding broken eggs. She started laying from the perch inside the coop (next to the nest boxes).
-- We put the fake egg back in the nest box to try and guide her.
---So she began pushing the fake egg out of the next box, and out of the coop completely (and continued laying from the perch). -- -- So, we took the fake egg out.
-- Today, she laid an egg from the perch again. And this time, she rolled her REAL (and broken) egg out of the coop.

We're afraid to let her continue this behavior as it might affect the other chickens once they start laying (will they even want to begin laying with a egg-breaker on the loose?)
So, we're thinking of building a small box (2x2) for her (with no perches) to sleep and lay in. Then, letting her out to be with the other chickens during the day. But, we have a few concerns, especially since it seems like a lot of work to manage both areas and wrangle her every evening to put her to bed.
1) How will this actually change her behavior.? Will it? Won't she just associate laying an egg with that box? Can she ever be re-assimilated to lay with the other chickens?
2) How many nights should she stay in there?
3) Will this affect their social dynamic - since we're removing her from sleeping with the others?

Any advice or other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

- Meg

PS - She doesn't appear to be interested in eating the egg contents.

 

[jmtcmkb]

We have an out of the nest box layer....I am pretty sure I have narrowed it down to who the culprit is. She was the second to being laying ( for 2 months now) out of 5 and she still lays on the coop floor, while roosting very early in the am... Just to let you know from my experience, the other 4 have learned to lay in the nest box despite one chicken preferring to lay on the coop floor.

I had 2 fake ceramic eggs in the nest box to let them know where to lay... it worked to show them then one got broody and I had to remove the fake eggs. But 4 lay in the nest box and 1 lays on coop floor most day a week...

I wish you the best!