My hens won't use the nice nesting boxes.

[aart]

Nesting box lower rail 10" off floor.

Perches in front of nests look good.
Might put taller fronts on them?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Are they laying on the floor just in front of the nests?

Maybe they think it's to bright?

 

[NatJ]

But the Orpingtons insist on digging nice little nests in the wood chips on the floor of the coup to lay their eggs.

Maybe take most of the wood chips OUT of the coop for a bit, so there is just barely a thin layer on the floor. That should make it less attractive to nest in.

I see someone else suggested putting wood chips in the nestboxes-- maybe do that with one or two nests on each level, so they have a choice of wood chips or straw if they use the nestboxes, and almost nothing on the floor.

If they start laying in the nestboxes consistently, you could gradually increase the amount of wood chips on the floor, to get it back to the level you prefer.

 

[Chickenman623]

If you will note, I did put a small layer of Pine chips on top of the nests to make it seem as if they are like the floor. Since my chickens are short a few screws, maybe the ruse will fool them.

 

[Double Yolked]

I've 7 laying hens. Two Buff Orpingtons, two Black Astrolorps, two Bielfelders and 1 Speckled Sussex. They all arrived in the same shipment and are 23 weeks old. The two Buff Orpingtons started laying an egg a day each about a week and a half ago. ....... They all seem interested in the nesting boxes with the eggs but none will go into them. This has to be the dumbest flock of chickens I've ever dealt with. I had to physically teach them to go into the coup at sunset so I could close the coup up at dark. But they wouldn't get on the roosts. Had to install an automatic night-lite in the coup so they could see.............................and physically put them on the roosting bars for about three nights before I could get them to do it on their own. I turn off the night-lite after I "tuck them in". I had 24 hens about 12 years ago and I never had to teach them to do anything. In fact, they taught me!!!!!! Am I just not being patient enough or are my hens just mentally challenged?????

Sounds perfectly normal. You need an experienced hen (or a decent rooster) to teach them. Lacking that, be patient and keep trying to teach them how to chicken. I've had the same thing happen on several occasions when I didn't have an older hen to "mother hen" the flock. Do remove temptation, by that I mean notice where outside the nest boxes they are laying and clear the spots so they aren't tempting. Also, try putting some ceramic eggs in the nest boxes. With chickens it's absolutely Monkey see, Monkey do.

 

[goldenyears]

Nesting box lower rail 10" off floor.

View attachment 3637309

All roosting rails above nesting boxes at 24" from floor.

View attachment 3637310

Hens refuse to use the ramp to get up to the roosting bars and choose to hop and flap up to the roosting bars instead. So they should easily be able to reach the nesting boxes. I had 24 hens previously and they never laid an egg anywhere other than in the boxes. I'm beginning to think my poor hens are demented.

What are you teaching your hens??? . I’d suggest making one of the openings smaller so the hens 1) take interest in something new, and 2) possibly feel more secure/comfy. Once one chick checks it out the other gals won’t be far behind. I have 22 hens in one of my coops and they all gravitate towards 3 nesting boxes. Go figure… Good luck! I hope you find a solution.

 

[homesteaderwannabe]

I have had really good luck with the ceramic egg trick. Chickens have really small brains. LOL !

 

[ArizonaDream]

I have the same problem, 4 white leghorns, 8 barred rock, 8 wellsummers. All lay in the nest box except for the 8 wellsummers, they insist on laying on the floor. My floor and trays under the roosts are sand. The eggs end up scratched and dirty. Ceramic eggs in the nest boxes. Some hens are just airheads!

 

[Leatherworker]

I've 7 laying hens. Two Buff Orpingtons, two Black Astrolorps, two Bielfelders and 1 Speckled Sussex. They all arrived in the same shipment and are 23 weeks old. The two Buff Orpingtons started laying an egg a day each about a week and a half ago. The others haven't figured it out yet. I have 6 nesting boxes with beautiful nests made of chopped straw. I've had wooden eggs in the nests since before the Buff Orpintons started laying. But the Orpingtons insist on digging nice little nests in the wood chips on the floor of the coup to lay their eggs. I tried picking one of them up and putting her in one of the nesting boxes but she'd have nothing to do with it. Each night when I close the tiny door to the coup I go around to the big door and bid them good night and show them the nesting boxes with the eggs in them with a flashlight. They all seem interested in the nesting boxes with the eggs but none will go into them. This has to be the dumbest flock of chickens I've ever dealt with. I had to physically teach them to go into the coup at sunset so I could close the coup up at dark. But they wouldn't get on the roosts. Had to install an automatic night-lite in the coup so they could see.............................and physically put them on the roosting bars for about three nights before I could get them to do it on their own. I turn off the night-lite after I "tuck them in". I had 24 hens about 12 years ago and I never had to teach them to do anything. In fact, they taught me!!!!!! Am I just not being patient enough or are my hens just mentally challenged?????

Mine were the same when they were real young. I put them up in the coop for about 2-3 nights. Thats all it took. They roosted when they were comfortable getting up there. They did when they were ready.

 

[picklestheduck]

Yeah…. Recently my flock is doing the same thing… but they are only using the two small plastic store bought nesting boxes instead of the comfier wooden ones we made. I have 28 laying hens yall…. They all fight anc cackle over the two small plastic ones and lay in piles on the floor when there’s rows of nice wooden ones, bucket nests, and crates all line up so they have a variety. I wanted to buy more of the plastic ones but it’s $25 dollars for them so heck no I can’t afford that. I bought those two on sale and now….. no one lays anywhere but there or the floor