New Nesting Box Disaster!

[theoldfarmhouse]

We were having huge egg losses due to crows and bush turkeys helping themselves from our mower-catcher nesting boxes so invested nearly $200 in a two-hole roll away nesting box - problem is the girls don’t want a bar of them! I took away the mower catchers and now they are just laying randomly on the floor of the coop instead of in the new boxes. I have tried taping dummy eggs in the new boxes and popping the girls into them if I see they are ready to nest but to no avail. Any tips on enticing them to use it?
Thanks!
Jay
https://rover.ebay.com.au/rover/0/0/99?loc=https://www.ebay.com.au/p/2233422576?iid=322366780144

 

[Col1948]

I bought some wooden nest boxes, I thought the chickens seemed to be a bit awkward going in them, they had to stoop down getting in and out plus I have a soft egg layer and she often stood on the egg getting out.
So I just made a couple out of cardboard boxes I picked up at the supermarket, the ones they empty and throw away.
I just put some straw in and put them where the wooden nest boxes were and they seem to take to them straight away.
If the boxes get a bit worn or damaged they are easily replaced and cost nothing.

 

[Shadrach]

We were having huge egg losses due to crows and bush turkeys helping themselves from our mower-catcher nesting boxes so invested nearly $200 in a two-hole roll away nesting box - problem is the girls don’t want a bar of them! I took away the mower catchers and now they are just laying randomly on the floor of the coop instead of in the new boxes. I have tried taping dummy eggs in the new boxes and popping the girls into them if I see they are ready to nest but to no avail. Any tips on enticing them to use it?
Thanks!
Jay
https://rover.ebay.com.au/rover/0/0/99?loc=https://www.ebay.com.au/p/2233422576?iid=322366780144

This article may give you some ideas.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...e-make-a-sitting-hens-job-so-difficult.74389/

 

[aart]

We were having huge egg losses due to crows and bush turkeys helping themselves from our mower-catcher nesting boxes so invested nearly $200 in a two-hole roll away nesting box - problem is the girls don’t want a bar of them! I took away the mower catchers and now they are just laying randomly on the floor of the coop instead of in the new boxes. I have tried taping dummy eggs in the new boxes and popping the girls into them if I see they are ready to nest but to no avail. Any tips on enticing them to use it?
Thanks!
Jay
https://rover.ebay.com.au/rover/0/0/99?loc=https://www.ebay.com.au/p/2233422576?iid=322366780144

Not sure what that link is for?
Link doesn't go to a specific product.

You may need to bed the roll out nests until you can get them used to laying in them.
The fake eggs will help and make sure they are easy to get up into.
Once they are using them consistently, slowly start removing the bedding to allow the roll-out aspect to function. Chickens hate change so it may take some time for them to acclimate to the new program, don't be too forceful about making them get into the nests, or you might spook them off for a good long while.

 

[jthornton]

If you can disguise the new box to look similar to the old box that will help. I've made several changes to my box as well as building a new box but they all looked similar including the color so the hens never noticed the changes.

JT

 

[theoldfarmhouse]

Not sure what that link is for?
Link doesn't go to a specific product.

You may need to bed the roll out nests until you can get them used to laying in them.
The fake eggs will help and make sure they are easy to get up into.
Once they are using them consistently, slowly start removing the bedding to allow the roll-out aspect to function. Chickens hate change so it may take some time for them to acclimate to the new program, don't be too forceful about making them get into the nests, or you might spook them off for a good long while.

Sorry the link was to the roll away box I bought on eBay to give you an idea.