Moving Nesting Box

[rdnkmom]

I have 4 girls that are just over a year old. Just recently they have been moving the nesting box in the coop. And now they are starting to lay their eggs just outside the box and one egg is usually broken. Do I need to add another nesting box? Or just secure it to the coop?

 

[springvalley123]

I don't understand how the birds could move the nest box, but....
I have 4 girls right now also. When they started laying, the one at the bottom of the pecking order wouldn't use the box--she layed on top of the box. (the boxes were tupperware totes with ventilation, total of 3 nesting areas). I set up a cat litter box on top so she could lay there. When 3 of the 4 hens stopped laying to molt, she resumed first, and she started to use the main boxes instead of the litter box on top of the nests. Now that all have resumed laying, she still uses the main boxes.
In other words, my observation is that pecking order can force one bird to not use the preferred box. So I suggest adding a box. It's not so much the 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 ratio of birds to boxes, as having a choice for the bird that doesn't seem to be "allowed" to use the main box.

 

[aart]

I don't understand how the birds could move the nest box,

Me neither.

 

[thechickenpeeps]

They might be fighting over it. I've seen chickens do this, especially in the spring when they start to feel broody. You maybe should add another nest box.

 

[rdnkmom]

My nesting box is not secured in the coop. I added another nesting box to the coop this morning. I think thechickenpeeps might be right after watching them this morning. I think they might be fighting over the box. It looked to me like my friend popcorn might be a little bit of a bully. Thank you everyone for your help.