My nest boxes

[JoeInPA]

My nest boxes are a removable design made from those cheap particle board ones you buy at TSC. I haven't had them in the coop since they take up room and the chickens hadn't been laying eggs until just yesterday.

I believe only one of four is laying so far, but she has laid in the same spot in a corner of the coop both times. I want them to get started right so I cleaned out all the old poopy chips today (it was overdue, installed the nest boxes, put down some sweet pdz, put new chips in and then filled the nest boxes with straw. I put a golf ball in each box. My one hen (not the one who is laying) was throwing a fit while I was cleaning out the coop, she didn't like me meddling around in there. The hens immediately were all over them checking the boxes out. I'm hoping the golf ball trick works and they lay in the boxes.

 

[Mtnboomer]

When my youngsters start to lay its almost always on the main run and not in any of the 14 nesting boxes they have to choose from or in the wood shed, under the deck, etc. After a few weeks, they finally figure it out. When the older hens are laying well, they seem to get it much faster.
I keep wooden eggs in about 5 of the boxes. I keep records of all eggs laid and their locations. They dont necessarily lay in boxes with the wooden eggs so not sure how much they work.
Good luck! I'm sure they will get it soon enough.

 

[Ted Brown]

Good luck but remember that ladies have a mind of their own.

 

[aart]

My one hen (not the one who is laying) was throwing a fit while I was cleaning out the coop, she didn't like me meddling around in there.

they don't like change.....

The hens immediately were all over them checking the boxes out. I'm hoping the golf ball trick works and they lay in the boxes.

...until their curiosity take over.


They'll figure it out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Let us know how it works. Sometimes you can get interesting stories.

I'm a believer that the fake eggs can help, I use golf balls. One time all the hens were laying in the nests. One day a golf ball wound up on the floor in front of the nest and one of the hens laid an egg next to it. When I tossed the golf ball back in the nest she went back to laying in the nest.

That doesn't mean that out of the blue a mature hen won't start laying somewhere else. My pullets don't always start laying in nests, though I do believe they tend to follow the older hens. Sometimes most of my eggs are in one or two nests, the favorites tend to change over time, but some days the eggs are pretty easily distributed. The only thing I see consistent in chickens is their inconsistency.

That's why I often say you can't guarantee behaviors. But you can try to influence them on going the way you want them to go. Good luck with those nests.

 

[Mtnboomer]

Let us know how it works. Sometimes you can get interesting stories.

I'm a believer that the fake eggs can help, I use golf balls. One time all the hens were laying in the nests. One day a golf ball wound up on the floor in front of the nest and one of the hens laid an egg next to it. When I tossed the golf ball back in the nest she went back to laying in the nest.

That doesn't mean that out of the blue a mature hen won't start laying somewhere else. My pullets don't always start laying in nests, though I do believe they tend to follow the older hens. Sometimes most of my eggs are in one or two nests, the favorites tend to change over time, but some days the eggs are pretty easily distributed. The only thing I see consistent in chickens is their inconsistency.

That's why I often say you can't guarantee behaviors. But you can try to influence them on going the way you want them to go. Good luck with those nests.

My nesting boxes are lined up on either side of the coop (east and west) 14 total 7 on each side. The corner boxes are 3/4" wider than the center ones which are 13x13".

My records show that when the young hens start laying in the boxes they favor the center boxes. As they age and grow, they join the older hens which prefer the corners. In the summer they like the west side of the coop and the east in the winter (this year so far 98% of eggs were in one box in the southeast corner). Presumably these selections were made because of temperatures.
Although there are random eggs found in any given box in warmer months. I chalk those up to the preferred boxes being taken so they settled for another.
This is all speculation as I only have 2.5 yrs of data but the trends are beginning to show themselves.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Looks good. However we do know that chickens will do (excuse the curse) whatever the Hell they want to! I had fake eggs in my boxes and the girls threw them to the floor. They lay in their boxes too. I have boxes that are 3 tiered and get 99% of eggs laid in the top and the bottom tier. Usually none in the middle. Again, the girls do what they want to! I see you have a window. The only time my hens laid on the coop floor was early morning when it's too dark to see. I put a couple of "night lights" in the coop and they don't lay on the floor anymore! Keep us posted on their progress!

 

[Peppercorngal]

My nesting boxes are lined up on either side of the coop (east and west) 14 total 7 on each side. The corner boxes are 3/4" wider than the center ones which are 13x13".

My records show that when the young hens start laying in the boxes they favor the center boxes. As they age and grow, they join the older hens which prefer the corners. In the summer they like the west side of the coop and the east in the winter (this year so far 98% of eggs were in one box in the southeast corner). Presumably these selections were made because of temperatures.
Although there are random eggs found in any given box in warmer months. I chalk those up to the preferred boxes being taken so they settled for another.
This is all speculation as I only have 2.5 yrs of data but the trends are beginning to show themselves.

Those are very interesting statistics. I have 7 boxes on each side of their "chicken door". Last year the girls preferred the left side, bottom left box UNTIL one of the sick chickens started sleeping at night in the most used box. After she pooped in it they switched to the right side, bottom right box! The hen is ok now, and doesn't sleep in the box anymore, but they have not returned to using it! Ain't chickens interesting??? Yes, they are.

 

[Mtnboomer]

Those are very interesting statistics. I have 7 boxes on each side of their "chicken door". Last year the girls preferred the left side, bottom left box UNTIL one of the sick chickens started sleeping at night in the most used box. After she pooped in it they switched to the right side, bottom right box! The hen is ok now, and doesn't sleep in the box anymore, but they have not returned to using it! Ain't chickens interesting??? Yes, they are.

I have always been fascinated by statistics and animal behavior. So it was only natural for me to want to combine the two. I love watching them and seeing how the slightest thing can change their whole world.
Last summer the most popular box was the front left corner until one day the roosters (2 brothers) decided they didn't want to roost any more and started sleeping in the box together. A 13x13 3/4" box holfing (2) 10lb roosters was like the clowns in that tiny car at the circus. It got to the point they would almost guard the box against the hens. When a hen would return to the coop to lay, one or both boys would rush in behind her as if to make sure she didn't go in "their" box. Then one day, as suddenly as it began, they both went back to roosting.
Crazy birds!

 

[JoeInPA]

Today was the first full day the nest boxes were in the coop, and the first chance any of them had to lay an egg in them. Today my Welsummer laid her first egg, and laid it in the box and my white rock who has been laying eggs for two days laid her egg in the box as well!

So at the first opportunity two different birds laid them in the boxes! I'm hoping it stays that way but for now I'm quite pleased!