Not Laying in Nesting Boxes Anymore!?

[PouleNoire]

Our newest pullets have just started laying and they have been doing very well! They were laying in the nesting boxes, until today. Will they start laying on the ground?! Will we have to put like, those fake eggs or golf balls in the nests?! The egg was laid in the corner of the coop.

 

[Beer can]

Golf balls work. I've taken them out when they've been laying in the boxes every time only to have them start hiding eggs in the corners of the coop so I put the golf balls back.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I recommend the golf ball or the plastic eggs but if they have been laying there maybe try cleaning there nesting boxes and put some herbs in them like Italian parsley Kale if you have those and before you do that I would just wait a another day or 2 just to see if they are still doing it and if the herbs don't help I would mess up there nest in the corner and set her in he nesting box and if she goes back and fixes her nest I would put in the golf balls and or the plastic eggs mine lay where ever I put the golf balls and my favorite hen won't lay if I take her golf balls so I keep them in her nesting box and if you stick them where ever they will lay where ever u put them as they like to lay where others have laid

 

[PouleNoire]

Thank you! I will look into the herbs and we are going to add some more wood shavings to the nesting boxes, thanks!

 

[aart]

Fake eggs/golf balls are going to have much more effect than herbs.
I keep them in my nests at all times to discourage fighting over and/or mobbing a particular nest.

 

[Beer can]

Fake eggs/golf balls are going to have much more effect than herbs.
I keep them in my nests at all times to discourage fighting over and/or mobbing a particular nest.

I think it also helps in keeping them from pecking, cracking, eating eggs. I haven't had a egg eater since using golf balls/fake eggs.

 

[Sutremaine]

We had a nice ground-level* nesting box with a couple of fake eggs and thick layer of leaves in it, which the chickens ignored in favour of the poopiest corner of the coop (I'm flattered that they think it's still pleasant enough to lay an egg in, but... no. Stop that). So I stacked a second box on the first, and lined it with newspaper and a thinner layer of leaves to mimic their beloved coop. It seems to be working so far.

Edit: One of them liked the coop enough to get back into it after I closed off the two chicken-sized entrances. I don't know whether she got in through the propped-open top or through the space where the front of the droppings tray used to be, but both of them would have been awkward.

*Ground-level for the chickens, much higher for us. The run is next to some steps.