Use the nesting boxes!!

[Kimmyk80]

My young flock started laying this past week!!! Having said that, they are laying in the floor of the coop instead of in the nesting boxes we have for them. They started laying in the corner, so I put a block there to stop them. That worked...except they found another spot on the floor of the coop to lay. I have a mixture of hay and pine chips in the boxes, and have put fake eggs in them to try to get the hens to use them. They are 12 x 12 each and are approximately 2 ft off ground. Ate the boxes too high maybe?

 

[azygous]

Can you post a photo of the nest boxes? There may be something lacking that is preventing your new layers from using them such as a landing ledge in front of the boxes. Chickens aren't owls that can just zoom through any opening no matter the height.

Another thing you can try, besides the fake eggs, is to be very zealous about removing any egg that is laid outside of the boxes. Hens are copycats, and will happily lay their eggs where they see other hens have laid theirs.

What I do with new layers that seem not to be aware that nest boxes are for laying eggs, is to pick them up when I see one begin to settle in outside of a nest box and put her in the box. If there's already an egg in the nest, she's much more likely to be content to remain and lay her egg there.

 

[kerbotx]

My young flock started laying this past week!!! Having said that, they are laying in the floor of the coop instead of in the nesting boxes we have for them. They started laying in the corner, so I put a block there to stop them. That worked...except they found another spot on the floor of the coop to lay. I have a mixture of hay and pine chips in the boxes, and have put fake eggs in them to try to get the hens to use them. They are 12 x 12 each and are approximately 2 ft off ground. Ate the boxes too high maybe?

That shouldn't be too high, but you might consider putting a block in front of the nests, to help them hop up. Have you actually put the hens in the nests? Have you shown them the fake eggs, and shown them that you're placing them in the nest? I know that sounds silly, but not all chickens are curious enough to explore things for themselves... You just need one of them to get it, the others will learn by watching her Oh, and put all the eggs in one nest, to really get their attention!

 

[Kimmyk80]

Here are a few pics of my boxes. They are 12 x 12 and 9 x 12. There is a 6” lip in front of the smaller boxes and about a 3” lip in front of the larger ones.

Can you post a photo of the nest boxes? There may be something lacking that is preventing your new layers from using them such as a landing ledge in front of the boxes. Chickens aren't owls that can just zoom through any opening no matter the height.

Another thing you can try, besides the fake eggs, is to be very zealous about removing any egg that is laid outside of the boxes. Hens are copycats, and will happily lay their eggs where they see other hens have laid theirs.

What I do with new layers that seem not to be aware that nest boxes are for laying eggs, is to pick them up when I see one begin to settle in outside of a nest box and put her in the box. If there's already an egg in the nest, she's much more likely to be content to remain and lay her egg there.

 

[azygous]

Those are splendid looking nest boxes! It certainly isn't the fault of the box design that your pullets aren't using them. They need consistent training. Put them in the nest boxes when you see them settling down to lay an egg in the wrong place. Be sure you place a real egg in the nest as you put them in. They will "get it" eventually.

 

[NNYchick]

I wonder if your problem is the same as mine. I had curtains up and they were all using the boxes great, I removed the curtains because they were so dusty. I left them out and now none of the girls are using the boxes they are laying in a corner behind a stump so I’m going to have to find something for a curtain again.

 

[azygous]

Curtains do help make the nests more private, and laying hens do enjoy privacy and to be left in peace. I've used a number of different materials as curtains. Naugahyde, nylon window screening, 6 mil heavy plastic, feed sacks, and even a non-skid rug mat, all easily cut to fit and stapled into place.

 

[Kimmyk80]

Here are a few pics of my boxes. They are 12 x 12 and 9 x 12. There is a 6” lip in front of the smaller boxes and about a 3” lip in front of the larger ones.

Can you post a photo of the nest boxes? There may be something lacking that is preventing your new layers from using them such as a landing ledge in front of the boxes. Chickens aren't owls that can just zoom through any opening no matter the height.

Another thing you can try, besides the fake eggs, is to be very zealous about removing any egg that is laid outside of the boxes. Hens are copycats, and will happily lay their eggs where they see other hens have laid theirs.

What I do with new layers that seem not to be aware that nest boxes are for laying eggs, is to pick them up when I see one begin to settle in outside of a nest box and put her in the box. If there's already an egg in the nest, she's much more likely to be content to remain and lay her egg there.

I wonder if your problem is the same as mine. I had curtains up and they were all using the boxes great, I removed the curtains because they were so dusty. I left them out and now none of the girls are using the boxes they are laying in a corner behind a stump so I’m going to have to find something for a curtain again.

How do you put a curtain up without hiding the boxes? Won’t the hens be confused by them?

 

[NNYchick]

My first nest boxes I used an old vinyl tablecloth cloth I liked that it didn’t get so dusty but when I changed the best boxes I used an old kitchen curtain I had. I just need to go to good will or dollar store and pick up another vinyl tablecloth and cut it for these boxes.

 

[NNYchick]

My first nest boxes I used an old vinyl tablecloth cloth I liked that it didn’t get so dusty but when I changed the best boxes I used an old kitchen curtain I had. I just need to go to good will or dollar store and pick up another vinyl tablecloth and cut it for these boxes.

Here are pictures of my 2 boxes. Mine always went around looking for just the right spot. The blue ones were a blue tablecloth. Dismiss the red arrow.