Stubborn chicken just started laying.

[khloee]

How do you get a new hen to lay in the nest box. She’s the first of my four new girls to lay and will not lay in the nest box. So far she has laid in the run and two corners of the coop floor. I have used some 2x4 s to try and block her from laying there. But unfortunately that hasn’t work she still has laid on the floor. I have 3 nest boxes for 9 hens. This should be plenty of space. What are some method that have worked for you that I would be able to try?

 

[aart]

What are some method that have worked for you that I would be able to try?

Put some fake eggs in the nests.
Have they been in the nests at all?
If not, might put one in there, just to pique her interest.
Post some pics of your nests....we might spot something that could be improved.

 

[NatJ]

How do you get a new hen to lay in the nest box.

Mostly just be patient and give her some time to figure out out.

When a pullet starts to lay, it sometimes takes them a few eggs to realize that they shouldn't just pop it out where they happen to be standing at the time.

So far, you've had three eggs in three different places--so either she's just dropping it where she stands, or she's trying different things. She'll probably make it to the nestboxes pretty soon.

 

[khloee]

Mostly just be patient and give her some time to figure out out.

When a pullet starts to lay, it sometimes takes them a few eggs to realize that they shouldn't just pop it out where they happen to be standing at the time.

So far, you've had three eggs in three different places--so either she's just dropping it where she stands, or she's trying different things. She'll probably make it to the nestboxes pretty soon.

sorry not the greatest picture. The nests have a slanted roof over it to prevent roosting. I had a door on it that I would close at night so the young one wouldn’t go in there, I did take that off now that they have figured out where to roost. All of my other girls prefer the farthest box because it’s the darkest.

 

[aart]

sorry not the greatest picture. The nests have a slanted roof over it to prevent roosting. I had a door on it that I would close at night so the young one wouldn’t go in there, I did take that off now that they have figured out where to roost. All of my other girls prefer the farthest box because it’s the darkest.

So I'll assume that you now have bedding and fake eggs in all the nests?
Just give them time.

 

[NatJ]

So I'll assume that you now have bedding and fake eggs in all the nests?

Good point. Bedding can make the nests more inviting, and also help avoid broken eggs.
If there is bedding in the nests, I'm not noticing it in that photo.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Try some of the suggestions noted above. If she continues to not lay in the nest box despite the changes, then taking a hands-on approach could help:

Now this isn't practical if you don't have time to stalk them, but what I did was I learned the problem bird(s) laying schedules, and when they went to their preferred spot to lay, I'd go and pick them up, stick them in a nest box, and barricade them in using my arms to cover the exit. 30-60 seconds was all they needed to calm down and start exploring the box and decide that maybe it wasn't such a bad place to be. They each started reliably using the boxes after that.

Alternatively, some folks design "doors" on their nest boxes so birds can be locked in, which basically does the same as above, but forces the bird to stay in the nest box (whereas once I see them exploring and sitting down in the nest, I leave them to it and walk away).

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I wonder if the slanted roof might be the problem. While a hen likes to sit and scratch at the bedding till she gets it all arranged to her liking, at the critical moment she actually has to stand to deliver the goods. That nest actually looks a little cramped to me. Can you lift the lid to provide more room? As long as the roost is higher than the nests, they probably won't roost on the nests. Good luck!

 

[ella]

It looks like you don’t have bedding in the nest boxes. If that is the case, try adding some. They are very much creatures of instinct and they like to have a medium they can nest in.

 

[khloee]

I wonder if the slanted roof might be the problem. While a hen likes to sit and scratch at the bedding till she gets it all arranged to her liking, at the critical moment she actually has to stand to deliver the goods. That nest actually looks a little cramped to me. Can you lift the lid to provide more room? As long as the roost is higher than the nests, they probably won't roost on the nests. Good luck!

My five other laying hens have no problem with the slanted roof. But, yes if I needed to I could raise it to provide more room. I have four silver laced wyandottes and they fit in there just fine. I'm not sure quite sure why she won't go in there her self. She's seen the others in there sitting, maybe she just hasn't caught on yet?