So far the hens are making little depressions in the shavings and just laying eggs on the floor. Is this 'bad'? Do I need to retrain them to an actual nest? I only have 5 Bantams & a Serema so we're not talking lots of hens here.
Perhaps the nests are a little high? If they have just started laying, they may start using the nests when they get adjusted to laying eggs. Many people put a golf ball or plastic Easter egg (put some sand in it) in nests to encourage them to lay there. I picked up a few golf balls at a dollar store.
It's not bad unless the eggs are getting really dirty or broken. If they eggs aren't gross, and it doesn't bother you that they lay on the floor, then I see no reason to force them to change. We have 14 nestboxes, and the hens use them all. BUT about once a week maybe 12 of them will lay under the boxes. I don't know why. Hens are weird.
