Not laying in box - next level ideas?

[tjcib]

6 Australorps, all laying
Coop size is ~30sq.ft. With two 12x12x12 nesting boxes with clean pine shavings
Coop also has pine shavings and is pretty clean about 6-8 inches deep
Covered run is 40sq.ft. And they roam 1/3 acre about 5 hours per day.

Laying is fine, but 4 of them REFUSE to lay in the boxes. They dig nice little holes in the coop bedding and lay. This is okay at this point because their coop is super clean. But now they've started "nesting" directly under their perches, which is where the poo is.

We have tried:
Fake eggs/Golf balls in nesting boxes
Putting real eggs into the nesting boxes
Picking the hens up and placing them in the box when close to laying time
confining a couple at a time, hoping the "box-layers" will train/be an example to the others.

I need some "next level" ideas. It hasn't been a huge problem with dirty eggs yet, but I would like to avoid that.

Is this just a byproduct of having a relatively clean and spacious coop?
Should I try a different substrate for the boxes just to make them "different"?

 

[tjcib]

 

[barred2rock]

Are the boxes tall enough? You want them tall & wide enough that the girls can stand and turn around in the boxes, but not so big that multiple birds will get in them at the same time.

 

[le4h]

Are the boxes tall enough? You want them tall & wide enough that the girls can stand and turn around in the boxes, but not so big that multiple birds will get in them at the same time.

I agree

 

[tjcib]

Are the boxes tall enough? You want them tall & wide enough that the girls can stand and turn around in the boxes, but not so big that multiple birds will get in them at the same time.

The seem cozy. I have seen them facing and sitting all different direction in there.

I have some extra materials, maybe I'll try again. I will try to get a pic when one goes in...

 

[anmalg14]

I am having a similar problem with mine. 1 of my 6 lays on the floor in one of the corners somewhere although she does seem to be the one that gets picked on the most so that may be part of the issue. One thing that I thought could help would be giving an option of a raised nest box. Perhaps adding 2 more nest boxes on top of the ones you have so that if one or two hens wanted more privacy they could use the second row up.

 

[Cntry1958]

Also try removing most of the pine shavings inside the coop. Keep a thin layer down there in the coops floor and keep the nesting boxes with more of the shavings or straw inside them. AS you said they are making nests areas to lay their eggs on to coops floor. See if it helps any. You can always add more material later after they begin to lay in the nest boxes.

 

[barred2rock]

Another thought is that you might try adding privacy "curtains". I just took an old t-shirt and cut it in strips and placed it over the front of the boxes. My birds would only use one of the boxes until I did this.

As you can see, nothing fancy.

 

[aart]

Should I try a different substrate for the boxes just to make them "different"?

Yes.