So yesterday I had a hen lay in outside some point and did not realize it until I saw her laying there for quiet a bit and putting leaves around herself. They have a coop they go into every night with 5 nesting boxes. How do I encourage them to lay there? Reason why I'm really not wanting them outside nesting is in the pics below.  
The snake is exactly where the egg was that I collected yesterday. It's a black rat snake usually will leave chickens alone but will eat eggs
		
	 
		
	
	
		
			
		
		
	
				
			The snake is exactly where the egg was that I collected yesterday. It's a black rat snake usually will leave chickens alone but will eat eggs
	