So they got new nest boxes yesterday...

[blessedchickenmama7]

And the one hen I had who is laying is now laying on the ground. I had to change because the bigger girls could not get in the boxes I had. The only hen who laid (the first layer in this flock) could, but the BO's could not. So today I go out and she has deposited her egg in the doo doo under the roost - YUK!

I put hay and golf balls in the new ones. They obviously got in there and sat because most of it was pushed out and I could see depressions where they sat...

Anybody else change nestboxes and how do you get them to use the new ones?

 

[Rebel Rooster]

Time!
They act like a bunch of kids with a new toy at Christmas when the new nesting boxes are introduced. I'm building some boxes for my growing flock right now, and am havin' sort of the same prob! But in my experience, they usually come around in time,,, once all of the new wears off!

 

[PortageGirl]

Put eggs into nest boxes, you can use some actual eggs, or golf balls, or get false wooden eggs (http://www.meyerhatchery.com/get_item_we_wooden-egg.htm), or plastic easter eggs, (but if you use those fill them with sand or something to make them feel solid.) lots of people say not to use actual eggs, but I've never had a problem. just put

Mine lay mostly in the boxes, but now and then there's one on the floor.

they'll figure it out if you're persistant.