Laying in box vs outside

[aart]

Well, I decided to leave them in today, and I have 4 eggs so far. My best layer, my Easter Egger Bunny, gives me an egg every day and she is really mad about being kept in. She makes the worst noise when she is not happy. Ad the line-up at the door is comical. I really don't think I can get the boys out without escapees, and getting them back in would be even harder. ThanQ for all the advise. If it doesn't work, I'll try placing boxes in strategic places to see if that works.

Ah, just leave them in until for a few days, they'll get over it.

 

[munchkinlover]

Do you have fake eggs or golf balls in your boxes? Maybe just leaving them in a touch longer may eventually work.

Do you have fake eggs or golf balls in your boxes? Maybe just leaving them in a touch longer may eventually work.

I do have fake eggs, and I had them in there at first, but someone kept pushing them out of the boxes. I can try again. Thank you.

 

[Shadrach]

Good morning everyone. I'm afraid I made a mistake with my birds and don't really know what to do about it. I have 9 hens that have lived in our coop/tractor until about 3 weeks ago. Before I started letting them out every day, I know that 4 of my girls started laying eggs. I got 3-4 eggs every day for a week and then......I started letting them out to free range. 2, sometimes 3, of my girls lay in the boxes, but nothing else. I suspect that they have to be laying out somewhere, but we have soo may places to hide, it's ridiculous! Is there any way I can get them to lay in the boxes? I leave them in the tractor until about 10:30 and that's when I find 2 eggs. I hate to leave them in all day because of the roosters, and they all are becoming masters of escaping when I try to squeeze in the door. Any and all comments are greatly appreciated!!!!!

I'm trying to work out what the problem is here.
9 pullets.
4 known layers.
3-4 eggs every day while they were in the tractor/coop.
You then let them free range (?) and now two, or three will sit in the nest boxes (?)
I assume these are two or three of the known layers (?)
Do the two or three that sit in the nest boxes lay eggs in the nest boxes?
Assuming yes, then they lay 2 or 3 eggs a day.
In the range of keeping circumstances you've outlined, if I've understood correctly you're one egg down. That is pretty good if you're free ranging.
One egg down could mean just one hen likes to lay away from the coop and run. That's pretty good. Be happy and follow the hen.
I've got 9 regular away from the coop nesters and layers here.
If you do not plan to let them out of the coop and run anymore, there are not many places to hide from what I've seen in the picture above. Locking them in the coop within the tractor/run seems rather drastic. I would think eventually if they can't find anywhere else because they are contained they'll work out the nest boxes are the best option without any assistance.
If you decide to free range them (let them out of the run and coop, then you have to accept they will make nests and lay eggs away from the coop and run.

 

[aart]

I do have fake eggs, and I had them in there at first, but someone kept pushing them out of the boxes. I can try again.

Are your nest fronts high enough(can't see in your pic) to prevent bedding and eggs(real or fake) to be kicked out?

 

[munchkinlover]

Are your nest fronts high enough(can't see in your pic) to prevent bedding and eggs(real or fake) to be kicked out?

I'm actually not sure if the fronts are high enough. When the girls first started checking out the boxes, I was finding lots of bedding kicked out, and just figured they didn't like it. (I know, I know) So then I put more in and was able to watch them laying and they move the stuff all around like they are going to brood, but then would leave once the egg comes. So how deep should the front be? I want them to like their laying box.

 

[munchkinlover]

I'm trying to work out what the problem is here.
9 pullets.
4 known layers.
3-4 eggs every day while they were in the tractor/coop.
You then let them free range (?) and now two, or three will sit in the nest boxes (?)
I assume these are two or three of the known layers (?)
Do the two or three that sit in the nest boxes lay eggs in the nest boxes?
Assuming yes, then they lay 2 or 3 eggs a day.
In the range of keeping circumstances you've outlined, if I've understood correctly you're one egg down. That is pretty good if you're free ranging.
One egg down could mean just one hen likes to lay away from the coop and run. That's pretty good. Be happy and follow the hen.
I've got 9 regular away from the coop nesters and layers here.
If you do not plan to let them out of the coop and run anymore, there are not many places to hide from what I've seen in the picture above. Locking them in the coop within the tractor/run seems rather drastic. I would think eventually if they can't find anywhere else because they are contained they'll work out the nest boxes are the best option without any assistance.
If you decide to free range them (let them out of the run and coop, then you have to accept they will make nests and lay eggs away from the coop and run.

I guess my concern isn't so much that I'm short an gee or two, but that the others have started laying and are following the lead of those not using the nesting boxes. I can't make myself leave them in all day. Yesterday I let them out about 2 hours before dark and today they got to come out around noon. I got 4 eggs yesterday and two this morning. Maybe this is a case of ignorance on my part. Thank you for your input!

 

[aart]

I'm actually not sure if the fronts are high enough. When the girls first started checking out the boxes, I was finding lots of bedding kicked out, and just figured they didn't like it. (I know, I know) So then I put more in and was able to watch them laying and they move the stuff all around like they are going to brood, but then would leave once the egg comes. So how deep should the front be? I want them to like their laying box.

New layers will rambunctiously destroy the nest bedding at first, until they figure things out and settle down. Nest fronts should be about 3-4" above bedding.