New layers

[Dorothy522]

Hello! I’m a new chicken mom and my girls have just started laying. Well, 2 of the 15 so far. My issue is that they aren’t laying in their boxes. So the first girl (sapphire gem) started laying about a week ago. First two eggs I found in the run. The rest I’ve been finding up in the rafters of the coop. I moved her yesterday to a box when I found her up there and later that day I DID find one egg in that box. She hasn’t laid one yet today but I again found her up top.

Fast forward to today, I have a new egg (Easter egger) also up in the rafters.

How do I break this? I can’t have them laying up there as they will crack. I have fake ceramic eggs in the boxes with shavings. They roost in the rafters at night so idk if I can block them off entirely. Maybe just in the mornings? I don’t know. Help!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I put dummy eggs in the nest boxes. Is there a way you can block them from laying in the wrong spot?

 

[Dorothy522]

I put dummy eggs in the nest boxes. Is there a way you can block them from laying in the wrong spot?

Ya I have fake eggs in the boxes but doesn’t seem to matter to them so far. I just went out again and found an egg up top again. I guess blocking off the rafters will be my only option, hopefully they’ll start using the boxes and not in the run.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The nests are pretty open, and they might not like the lack of privacy. You could extend the dividers in each one up to the top of the box to make it a little more private - if you want to do it on the cheap, duct taping some cardboard to the wood should be enough for now.