South Dakota Guy
Songster
Thanks for the great information. Our two oldest hens just started laying. We have noticed a bed being made in the far corner of our coop in the pine shaving bedding. My wife would rake everything flat again and the next day it would be back. This morning my wife found a hen sitting in her home made nest on top of an egg. We are also using nest pads in our nesting boxes. Today we will remove the pads and put fresh pine shavings in the nesting boxes. We will probably add a strip of plywood across the bottom that will double as a perch and a block to keep the bedding in the nests.This is a question asked often as we get to this point in summer. I'm surprised the "similar threads" below came up with such a lame assortment as it gets asked multiple times by this time of the season. You're lucky, at any rate, that these novices are at least laying in the coop.
The nests could be your problem. Please post a photo of them. Tell us how many hens use how many nest boxes.
A nest box is a critical thing. It must be large enough for a hen to perform her ritual of titivating where she fussily arranges the nesting material. If you use a nest pad, that deprives her of this satisfying ritual. Pine shavings or straw are the hands down favorite materials for nests.
It must be high enough so she can stand up in it comfortably as the last stage of egg laying requires this in order for the egg to fall out as gravity assists her in this process.
The nest must also be accessible. If it is too high or doesn't have a perch to hop onto, the nest may simply be too much hassle to try to use.
And yes, many hens enjoy laying as a time to relax in peace and quiet and curtains do help her focus and not be distracted by other activities going on around her.