Suddenly started laying in the run? what to do??

[bow-chicka-bow-bow]

So, with the shorter daylight hours, my EE's stopped laying all together back in November. I only have 3 EEs and 5 BS. The BS slowed down and I was getting maybe 2 or 3 eggs a day from them. Now, that it has started to get lighter, my EE's have started to lay again and one of them lays an olive color egg. However, she has started laying it in the run and not in the nest box!. Before she stopped, she would always lay in one of the boxes. My hubby says she is just lazy. I don't know which one it is that is doing it, but obviously it is 1 of 3 EE's. So, how can I break her of doing this and what would suddenly make her start laying in the run? Please help.

 

[TaylorHobbyFarms]

I buy fake eggs and always leave one in the nest boxes. It may help her to lay in the box if she notices it.

 

[tec27]

Yea you have to go back to the basics. Put golfballs in their nesting boxes. Leave them in there until they starting laying in there again. Mine do this every 6 months. Don't know why.

 

[CarolJ]

You can also keep the chickens in the coop for a few days so she can't lay the egg in the run. Usually it doesn't hurt for them to be limited to only the coop for awhile. Once she's back in the habit of laying in the nest box, you can let them out in the run again. Of course that depends on your coop/run set-up.