My chickens won't lay in nesting box!!

[chickenfun123]

My chickens won't lay in the nesting box. They did before, back when only 2 were laying. But now about all 5 are laying and only 1 egg is ever in the nesting box. And I only find them after they layed and egg. Then I put them in the box. But I feel like it dossnt help. Any tips? There new layers!!!

 

[peopleRanimals2]

How many nesting boxes do you have, and how many chickens?

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, chickenfun123, and

! Pleased you joined us but sorry your hens are not using the nest boxes. Are you finding the eggs inside or outside the coop? Are the boxes low to the ground and cozy within the coop? Chickens will lay where they feel it is safest to do so. Here are some old BYC threads you can peruse - perhaps an old post will yield some helpful information.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=won't+use+nest+boxes
Best wishes and thanks for joining BYC!

 

[peopleRanimals2]

good idea- I was thinking that chickenfun123 might need to use a fake egg or add another nesting box.

 

[peopleRanimals2]

Also, your nesting box may be too small for them to comfortably to lay an egg when there is already an egg in there. The optimal size is 1' by 1'.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

You need to lock them in where the nesting boxes are. Either until they've laid each day before letting them free. Or for several days until all are laying in the boxes. It is a common issue.

I have 10 boxes for 32 girls and still 3 go unused.

One way to tell when they are getting ready to lay that day is by the squawking or preaching that goes on before they head off to their spot.

To this day I have 2 girls that refuse to lay in the boxes. Both are EE.

 

[chickenfun123]

How many nesting boxes do you have, and how many chickens?

I have 5 chickens one nest

 

[chickenfun123]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

You need to lock them in where the nesting boxes are. Either until they've laid each day before letting them free. Or for several days until all are laying in the boxes. It is a common issue.

I have 10 boxes for 32 girls and still 3 go unused.

One way to tell when they are getting ready to lay that day is by the squawking or preaching that goes on before they head off to their spot.

To this day I have 2 girls that refuse to lay in the boxes. Both are EE. :/

wow I think I might try that. One of mine is an EE to. Good thing her blue eggs stick out

 

[chickenfun123]

Also, your nesting box may be too small for them to comfortably to lay an egg when there is already an egg in there. The optimal size is 1' by 1'.

they fit perfectly in the nesting box. It's on the second story of there coop. They did use it for a good 2 weeks. But now they stops. I get so upset when I don't get eggs :\

 

[redsoxs]

Unsure but it might be that their coop is higher than they want to have their eggs??? I know that nesting boxes should be lower than the roosts to discourage roosting (and pooping) in the nesting boxes at night....but I'm unsure what having the nesting boxes on the second floor might mean for laying. Hopefully others will have an opinion of what's going on.