Pooping in the nesting box ..

[Newfarmer36]

All my hens like to lay in only two of nesting boxes. They do like to follow the crowd. So if they all lay in one favourite box , that how they like it! You can try and stop them sleeping in there by providing perches that are higher than the nest boxes. If they still want to sleep in nest boxes try blocking them off after they have all layed or before they go in at night. Egg boxes work well.

There's 4 perches in the coop. 2 of the hens sleep on top of the nesting boxes instead.

 

[Newfarmer36]

You can try to make the other nest boxes more attractive. Hanging curtains... strips of old feed bag stapled to the top to hang down and make it dark and secluded will often help. It will usually be the darkest nest box in a corner which is the favoured one for hat reason. I'm assuming that they are pooping I the nest boxes at night and that is usually because it is a better place than the roost provided. Making the roost more favourable will be key to changing that behaviour. Make sure the roost is higher, easily accessible, comfortable and secure ie it doesn't tilt or move, not in a draught etc. Make sure the roost ends are not infested with red mites particularly if they have suddenly changed behaviour and moved away from the roost bars.

I moved their coop to the other side of the yard about a mint and a half ago. They've been doing this ever since.

 

[Newfarmer36]

Hang a curtain over each nest box..Chickens like privacy so that one being used might be more private?

They're all the same. I guess I have weird chickens. Lol

 

[rebrascora]

Then there is possibly something about the new location that is causing this. Perhaps a draught from a window or vent, or the view from a window is causing them to perch where they can see out of get more light. You have to look at it from a chicken's perspective, especially of they are confined to the coop all day which can be pretty boring for them. Can you perhaps construct them a predator proof run, so that you can let them out a bit more.
There will be something about that nest box which makes it better than the others even if your human eyes don't detect it and of course, once one bird lays an egg in a nest, it is immediately more attractive to the others. It is very common for all bird to want to lay in the same nest, so I can assure you that yours are not unusual, but making other nests more attractive can change that pattern a little or move it to another nest.

 

[Newfarmer36]

Do you have a photo of the inside of the coop?

JT

I took this when I had cleaned it out and put a bunch of hay in it. All of the hay has been stepped on and patted down. So the nesting boxes are as full now. You can see 2 nesting boxes. The 3rd one is right beside those and that's the one they all lay in. The bottom part is the section I put in in case they wanted to lay there. The wanted nothing to do with it but my Wyandotte Bantam hen just laid her 1st egg in there and yesterday I noticed that 2 of my hens now want to lay their eggs right on top of hers.

 

[CCUK]

Hens! Don't you just love them!!

 

[Newfarmer36]

Then there is possibly something about the new location that is causing this. Perhaps a draught from a window or vent, or the view from a window is causing them to perch where they can see out of get more light. You have to look at it from a chicken's perspective, especially of they are confined to the coop all day which can be pretty boring for them. Can you perhaps construct them a predator proof run, so that you can let them out a bit more.
There will be something about that nest box which makes it better than the others even if your human eyes don't detect it and of course, once one bird lays an egg in a nest, it is immediately more attractive to the others. It is very common for all bird to want to lay in the same nest, so I can assure you that yours are not unusual, but making other nests more attractive can change that pattern a little or move it to another nest.

The reason I'm not letting them out right now is bc I have a new duck in there and if I let them out and close the door, they'll lay all over the place. When I'm sure my new will stay with my other duck in the yard, I'll be able to start leaving it open.

 

[jthornton]

I took this when I had cleaned it out and put a bunch of hay in it. All of the hay has been stepped on and patted down. So the nesting boxes are as full now. You can see 2 nesting boxes. The 3rd one is right beside those and that's the one they all lay in. The bottom part is the section I put in in case they wanted to lay there. The wanted nothing to do with it but my Wyandotte Bantam hen just laid her 1st egg in there and yesterday I noticed that 2 of my hens now want to lay their eggs right on top of hers.

I would just take those two crates out of the coop.

JT

 

[Newfarmer36]

Hens! Don't you just love them!!

Lol. They're so picky!

 

[aart]

I can't see the roosts ('perches') in the pic.
Do you have enough roost length for the number of birds you have?
Adding the ducks could be a problem.