my hens are just laying and NOT in there nesting boxes

[jcoker]

my hens are just laying and NOT in there nesting boxes i have golf balls in there and put some eggs in there. i have shredded papperin the nest box. any tips

 

[PDXcluck]

I've got two hens laying, one started on August 16th and the other on August 19th. The first egg was in the shavings in the floor of the coop, the second was in the sand in the run, the third was in their outer fenced area (their "yard") in the dirt, the fourth was back in the run in the sand, the fifth and sixth and everyone thereafter has been in the nest boxes. We changed nothing. I think on their first couple eggs they were in the next boxes trying to lay but the egg wasn't coming out. Then they would get up and walk around and it would work it's way out. After their first couple eggs they haven't seemed to have issues.

Interestingly, they have two nest boxes to choose from and they are switching back and forth, but both laying the the same on on a given day. Funny birds...

 

[rikithemonk]

Your nest boxes may not be what the girls need. Perhaps too small, perhaps too large. I have Rhode Island reds and mine are happy using my 5 gal bucket nest boxes. for my size breed the buckets work well. I put a bed of hay in the boxes, but don't do much else with them. My girls lay often and 98 percent of the time inside a box.

Consider drafts, size, privacy, .......Any chance we could get a pic of your set up?

Riki

 

[Alden Chickens]

I have heard that chickens don't like newspaper. It can be slippery. One thing I read said to use shavings (not cedar) but most things suggest using straw. It took my 4 hens about a week to figure out the box was the best place. I have it inthe corner where they can be alone while thinking about that egg.