She won't lay IN the box, insists on laying in FRONT of it.

kara_leigh

Songster
8 Years
May 3, 2011
442
11
113
Bradleyville, MO
My pullet has just started laying, and for some reason she refuses to lay her eggs actually IN the nesting box. She only lays directly in front of it. She even pulls the fake eggs out of the nesting box and puts them in her little nest. We have tried different size and shape nesting boxes, and it doesn't make a difference.

Is there anything I can do to get her to lay IN the box, or am I doomed? She lays her eggs right in the middle of the coop, in front of the entrance, so I'd like to get her to lay in the box if possible b/c I'm afraid the eggs could get broken if we don't collect them right away. I also don't want my 19 week old pullets to get any ideas and do the same thing.
 
I use hay that I got from my neighbor, whereas the rest of the coop has pine shavings.
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She pulls everything, the hay and the fake eggs, out of the nesting box.
 
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Is there something you could try that the nest material can't be pulled out of, like the covered kitty litter pans with deep lips that many people use? I notice my pullets really do like to dig down to the bottom of the nesting box no matter how much hay I put in. Perhaps she needs more hay or space to arrange it the way she wants? Is she with an experienced layer so she can see another hen nesting? Maybe remove a wall between nest boxes to make a bigger communal one?

Maybe your other layers will come online soon and show her the light. Mine laid several eggs on the floor the first couple of weeks, including right in the coop doorway like yours, and they then figured it out on their own. Today I got six eggs all in the same box from my six pullets. Good luck.
 
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One of my silkies is doing the same thing. I put her in the nestbox twice today and still....I find her egg in the corner of the coop.
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I can't get my girls to use the nesting boxes for anything. They are up off the ground but they prefer to lay their eggs under the nesting box area where they insist on sleeping instead of sleeping on their roost bar. Whatever, they are laying me eggs inside the coop I guess I should just be happy with that.
 

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