My hens are hiding their eggs

[TSW99]

I free range all my chickens and lately all but one of my chickens hide their eggs in the yard. why do they do this? and how can I stop this? I have tried locking them up for two days but they refuse to lay in the coop. I have a nest box that fits two hens at one time but there is no divider. do I need to make more nest boxes that give more privacy?

 

[sunflour]

How many pullets/hens do you have? I think most recommend 1 nest for every 3-4 layers.
If they have previously been laying in the nests, have there been any changes?
Are they broody?

 

[TSW99]

No they are not broody and they have only been laying for about two months so there really young
they used to lay in the coop where they were supposed to. Also one has layed in a tree stump till I cut it down so I figured they want more privacy. And another one lays under my barn

 

[TSW99]

But I did move the nest box to the other side of the house for a week but I moved back

 

[Mrs. K]

do you have some fake eggs in the nest? I use just roundish rocks, but you can buy wooden eggs at a hobby store. Chickens seem to think, "Hmmmm someone else laid here, must be a good spot!" But they are notional, sometimes when I clean the coop/run, they will change where they lay. I have heard of people putting a short curtain over the nest, and they will like that. I have never done it.

Chickens cannot refuse to lay. They have to lay, so if you keep them in the coop/run, put 'eggs' where you want them to lay, they should lay there. Sometimes if they pick a different spot, I will put something in that spot to make it not work for them.

Mrs K

 

[TSW99]

I will try that I probably didn't keep them in their coop long enough