Not Using a nest box-

[doxies1]

What can I do to get my silver laced cochins to lay in a nest box instead of under it? I have shelving sectioned off for nesting. The Jersey Giant uses it but the cochins will not. Do I need to enclose the front, make the nesting material deeper, or what.

 

[La Mike]

Is it to high for them ?

 

[doxies1]

It's only about a foot off the ground, in nice deep litter.

 

[La Mike]

Well its definatly not to low. Are they young hens. Most likely they will get the idea but you cantry putting fake eggs or golf balls in the nest. Take their eggs and put in the nest too. Sometimes these tricks work and sometimes they just would rather lay them wherever they are.

 

[La Mike]

Oops too high

 

[pgpoultry]

Is the front of the nest boxes covered over to a certain extent? Some hens like to go through a hole or similar to lay in a dark place.
I cut an old towel into broad strips and pinned it over the front of the nest boxes when my hens wouldn't use them in the new coop, and within days they were laying in there . They like two of the boxes better than the other 4, but that's just hens.