Lazy Hens - HELP!!

[Jabbok]

I have having such a hard time trying to get my hens laying in their nesting boxes. They just sit on their perch and plop their eggs out and the eggs bust. It's really frustrating me and I am curious to know what I can do to change their behavior. I recently caged 3 out of 4 roosters because I figured they may be afraid to get down since they are attacked so much by them, but lo, and behold a busted egg this morning.

Should we remove the perch until they start laying in their nesting box? My hens are young, just started laying a couple weeks ago. One hen did lay her egg in the nesting box for a couple days in a row, but has resorted to dropping them from the perch again. I am not having the best of luck with these birds!

Any advice/help will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Emily

 

[math ace]

I have one hen that INSISTS on laying hers on the ground.

The rest of the hens - - - - follow the little white golf balls. I LEAVE one white golf ball in each nest. If I place ONLY ONE golf ball in only one nest, all the hens will try to use that same nest. a LARGE TRAFFIC JAM developes. The hens stand on the perches screeching at the one hen sitting on the one golf ball - - - -so make sure you put one egg / golf ball in each nest.

 

[Jabbok]

I wish mine would lay them on the ground at this point! lol I had a golf ball in the one nest. Replaced the ball with a couple fake eggs (one in each nest). Not sure what else to do.

 

[midget_farms]

They will grow out of it - its a young chicken thing. They kind of get surprised by the egg laying process. It may take a couple of weeks.

 

[Jabbok]

Thank you! That is SO good to know, I just thought it was something wrong that I was doing.