Not laying in the nests

[2BD4C10C]

I have 14 laying hens out of those, 13 lay in the nest boxes while 1 has only layed on the ground or on the floor of the coop. She is the only white leghorn I have the rest are Rhode Island Reds and a handful of Sex Links.

I am not sure what is going on. I showed her the nest boxes on day one so she knows where they are. Is there anything I can do to encourage her to lay in the nest?

 

[LowerBamaMama]

Subscribing because I'd like to know as well. My ONLY layer is neglecting to use the lovely spacious boxes I worked so hard to build onto the coop and is just laying right in the middle of the coop floor!

 

[LowerBamaMama]

No one answered BUT I did more reading elsewhere and realized that my problem was just that my best box and my coop floor were both deep beds of pine shavings so there was no difference to her in the corner and the boxes.

I scooped the shavings out so that it's just a very thin not cozy layer on the floor and the next day, she started laying in the box. I've since added the shavings back to the coop floor and she's stayed in the nest box so my issue is resolved. Hope this may help you.

 

[1ChickenKeeper]

I don't know if this will work for your hen, but it's worth a try ^^

Chickens are communal layers, they like to lay where everyone else is laying. You'll find 90% of your eggs in one nesting box.
For the not laying in the box, you can try buying a ceramic egg from your local feed store, or using a good fake egg from home, like golf balls and plastic Easter eggs. They work well into luring the hen to lay in the box. Once a hen sees every else's eggs in a nesting box, chances are she'll want to lay there as well!

Maybe then your hen will be encouraged to lay into the nesting box.

Other than this, I don't know why she wouldn't be laying in the nesting box, your guess is as good as mine here.

Good luck!

LowerBamaMama's idea is a good try too.

 

[Pork Pie]

Subscribing because I'd like to know as well. My ONLY layer is neglecting to use the lovely spacious boxes I worked so hard to build onto the coop and is just laying right in the middle of the coop floor!

Chickens are funny things. I have 3 nest boxes but my hens only lay in one of them! Is your hen at the bottom of the pecking order? If so, she may have been turfed out of the nest boxes by more dominant hens and thought "what the heck - I'll just lay on the floor".

CT

 

[1ChickenKeeper]

Chickens are funny things. I have 3 nest boxes but my hens only lay in one of them! Is your hen at the bottom of the pecking order? If so, she may have been turfed out of the nest boxes by more dominant hens and thought "what the heck - I'll just lay on the floor".

CT

What an idea, this could possibly be the explanation!.