New need help - eggs in hen house

[DMoody]

My girls started laying on Sunday, they will not use the nest box even after I put golf balls in them. They lay either in the back of the hen house or in the cat boxes I put under the roost. I also thought they laid in the AM, however I found an egg this evening at about 8PM that was not there at 5PM. I did not expect eggs for another 2-4 weeks but they are talented.
Also I can tell where they lay because when I walk in the hen house one or two immediately start "talking" to me and go to the vacinity of the egg.
My wonderful husband remodeled a shed and my 4 girls have a nice coop, he will build the run in the fall.
Please any advice or suggestions is appreciated.

 

[Nicole01]

Try putting a real egg or 2 in the nest box.

If my hens are trying to find a nest and having a hard time laying, I'll put an already laid egg in a box.

 

[DMoody]

Thanks, will try that.

 

[chickenbythesea]

we dd the golf ball thing and my birds didn't care at all. They made their own nests on the floor in the pine chips. I gave up on them using their boxes, but low and behold, 3-4 moths later they started using the boxes all on their own. I think it just takes some more time them others. Oh, and they will still occasionally build nests in the coop and stop using their boxes.

 

[DMoody]

Thanks, it's reassuring that they may use the boxes later. They did start laying before I thought they should. Today they laid an egg right in front of the door. Silly girls, it is now in the nest box hoping they get the point.

 

[Holly0]

I am having the same problem with my girls laying all over the coop (on the poop board, under the poop board, under the nest boxes) except in the nest boxes. I have 10 girls nearly 5 months old. At least 4 are starting to lay. I've tried placing golf balls and their real eggs in the boxes....I've tried placing the chickens themselves in the boxes when they are in the laying position elsewhere within the coop...but I think this stresses them out. I am going to try to put a slightly different nesting material in the boxes, instead of the pine shavings that are there and also throughout the coop. If all else fails, maybe with time they will just naturally gravitate to the boxes.

 

[DMoody]

i put an egg in a nest box with a golf ball, removed the cat box under the roost and NO eggs anywhere. quess they are being typical teen girls rebellous. lol

 

[CGinJCMO]

I have a new layer that was in quarantine up until a couple of days before she started laying (didn't think she was going to be starting quite so soon). She still goes into the quarantine area to sleep (instead of roosting with the others) and now to lay eggs. I want eggs in the boxes hubby and I built so I closed the quarantine room and put her into one of the nesting boxes. I was working on my automatic waterer (rust or mold or some kind of gunk plugged it up and water wasn't flowing, now it's overflowing and I'm trying to fix that so I don't get a wet coop/shavings) so I just watched her while waiting on the waterer to fill up. It took her a while to decide to use the box, and then to actually get comfortable, but eventually she laid her egg (almost at high noon). I hope tomorrow, she'll go into the box herself and lay the egg. I'll continue to keep the other room closed tonight, don't know if she'll finally go up on the roost to sleep or if she will find someplace else to go.


CG

 

[DMoody]

That would be great if she learned that quickly, I think my girls are playing. Such personalities. I got home from work, fixed their fresh food, open the door and right in front of the door a present, an egg. Decided to clean the pine shavings abit and found another under the roost. Needless to say, I thanked them and had a fresh egg sandwich for dinner. I really enjoy watching them, they are halarious. I discovered tonight they do not like greens. LOL
Thanks for the post, reassuring they may still learn.

 

[CGinJCMO]

That would be great if she learned that quickly, I think my girls are playing. Such personalities. I got home from work, fixed their fresh food, open the door and right in front of the door a present, an egg. Decided to clean the pine shavings abit and found another under the roost. Needless to say, I thanked them and had a fresh egg sandwich for dinner. I really enjoy watching them, they are halarious. I discovered tonight they do not like greens. LOL
Thanks for the post, reassuring they may still learn.

I think she learned that it's a good place to lay an egg because there was another one in there today... She didn't sleep up on the roost with the rest of the flock however. In fact, last night when I went to shut the coop I couldn't find her. She was just here an hour ago but hubby and I walk the whole back yard acre and even went into the front yard and looked next door. Went back inside to get a flashlight becasue it is too dark in the coop to see good and I find her in the nest box all the way to the back with her head stuck into a crack (hiding like an ostrich). I cleaned out the poop she left

I find my chickens aren't liking cabbage or lettuce either.
CG