She won't lay in the nest or coop

[ufoundwaldo]

1 out of 4 of my chickens has started laying this week, which is exciting. I found the eggs on Thursday when she ran out of the run and straight to her nest to lay what turned out to be her third egg. My birds free-range during the day. Obviously, I want her to start laying in the nests in the coop, so I took two of the eggs and placed one in each nests and kept them closed in their coop/run all yesterday(Friday). She did not lay. I left them in the coop/run today(Saturdaty) until about 9:30am and no egg. I got worried about her getting blocked up or messing with a newly starting layer, so I decided to let them out to free range. It didn't take her long to go the nest she built and lay another egg, her fourth.

I am new to all this and just thought she would lay in her nests, no problem. What I am worried about if leaving her and the others "cooped up" for a couple of days to try to get her to use the nest. Will she stop laying or becomes blocked in some way. Help! What is the best thing to do?

I have gotten a light and a timer for inside the coop and plan on increasing light time in the mornings before I open the predator an allow them into the run or free-range.

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Eggcessive]

Some of my 23 week old chickens have been laying for 3 1/2 weeks, and I finally found my Ancona's secret nest with 8 eggs in it. It is outside my gate which she flies over each morning, so I just remove all eggs except 1 that is marked, and let her continue to think she is fooling me.

 

[ufoundwaldo]

Yeah at least I know her spot. Iam going to try hanging drapes to darken the nests.