Laying in nesting box

[StickInsect123]

Hi everyone,
First time chicken owner here,
My 6 month old Sussex girls laid their first eggs today overnight. However, they haven’t laid them in their nesting box which has been in the coop since they moved with some pine shavings in it and we keep it quite clean. How will they know to lay in the nesting box next time?
Thanks!

 

[fluffycrow]

It’s quite normal for the young pullets to not recognise the nest box as a suitable egg laying spot, choosing to make their own nest. Others are so confused that they don’t even get to make a nest of any sort, and lay it on the ground.

Placing some fake eggs in the nest(s) you’d like them to use would be a good idea; that usually catches the attention of most girls. Those fake eggs can be golf balls, ping pong balls, or fake eggs found on the market.

Most people on BYC have had good results with those. I have personally tried ping pong balls and fake eggs, and they have worked quite well. I’m not convinced that the chickens can’t tell the difference, but young pullets especially don’t seem to mind them.

Be sure to collect all the eggs you find laying around as soon as you can, making it look like the nest boxes are the only places with eggs, which should be enticing enough

 

[StickInsect123]

It’s quite normal for the young pullets to not recognise the nest box as a suitable egg laying spot, choosing to make their own nest. Others are so confused that they don’t even get to make a nest of any sort, and lay it on the ground.

Placing some fake eggs in the nest(s) you’d like them to use would be a good idea; that usually catches the attention of most girls. Those fake eggs can be golf balls, ping pong balls, or fake eggs found on the market.

Most people on BYC have had good results with those. I have personally tried ping pong balls and fake eggs, and they have worked quite well. I’m not convinced that the chickens can’t tell the difference, but young pullets especially don’t seem to mind them.

Be sure to collect all the eggs you find laying around as soon as you can, making it look like the nest boxes are the only places with eggs, which should be enticing enough

Hi, thanks so much! We have ping pong balls so will definitely try this!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Hi, thanks so much! We have ping pong balls so will definitely try this!

Ping pong balls may be too light, golf balls, rocks, or wooden or ceramic fakes are less likely to get dislodged.