Nesting box training

[EasterEggDrew]

Well, my small flock of four chickens started laying eggs last Friday, and judging from the colors, it looks like three of the four might be laying. I'm getting two eggs per day.

I'm finding green eggs in the nesting boxes, so that's my Easter Egger. Unfortunately, the brown and tan eggs are all being dropped in the run. Today, I almost stepped on one, as it was almost completely buried in the deep litter / dirt.

I have three nesting boxes, with golf balls in two of them (one each), and the third one empty. I uncovered the nesting boxes and installed the golf balls about 4 weeks ago, so they've had time to inspect them by now. What can I do to help the slower birds come around to using the nesting boxes?

 

[EasterEggDrew]

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Just give it time - they'll get the hang of it. The first few weeks of laying can be a confusing time for them - it often seems the eggs 'sneak up' on them or you'll see a pullet in the nest waiting for her egg until she jumps up, runs out and drops her egg wherever she winds up. Eventually they get the idea.

 

[EasterEggDrew]

Thanks! Yeah, my Easter Egger did just that on her first day. I opened the pop door to let the flock out to the run that morning, and noticed she didn't come out. I opened that nesting box door (picture above), and she was sitting in the middle nest. I quick closed the door, and went away to leave her alone. That evening, I found a broken green egg in the doorway between coop and run. I guess she decided to get up before the egg came, and dropped it on her way out the door.