Using only one laying box

[tjb]

I have 2 laying boxes for 5 hens {which I read is a good ratio--one box to every 4 hens}.
It seems that they have all decided to use one box.
this morning, I had a very inpatient lady that could not wait her turn and laid just outside the box.
Are there any suggestions to making the second box more "inviting"?

 

[rIrs roost]

Honestly with my hens, it seems as though no matter where one is trying to lay an egg that the others want that spot. I've actually had 3 hens crammed into one 5 gallon bucket that I use as a laying box. lol

 

[tjb]

Honestly with my hens, it seems as though no matter where one is trying to lay an egg that the others want that spot. I've actually had 3 hens crammed into one 5 gallon bucket that I use as a laying box. lol

Oh, wow! I am using 5 gallon buckets as well...

 

[rIrs roost]

Oh, wow! I am using 5 gallon buckets as well...

You're liable to see this too then lol. And all of my hens were full grown hens. I had to laugh when I seen it.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I use storage plastic tubs no matter how we do it they use 1 tub and the corner between two there are 18 hens

 

[TaterNugget]

Are there any suggestions to making the second box more "inviting"?

You can try putting a few fake eggs in the other box, or moving their eggs to the other box for a while.

 

[lazy gardener]

You could try changing out the bedding, and putting fake eggs in the other. My girls often change out "favorite nest" according to which one has the most inviting bedding. I've seen them stacked in a single nest box like cord wood, 2 on the bottom, and one standing on top to lay in the favorite box. I've also found that they LOVE a larger nest box. My 6 built in boxes have dish pans for bases. (with dividers) but they absolutely love the large wooden crate that I put in the broody cage. It's about 12 x 18", and there's enough room in the broody cage for them to lay on either side of that crate as well.

 

[tjb]

I use storage plastic tubs no matter how we do it they use 1 tub and the corner between two there are 18 hens

wow!!

 

[8MerryHens]

I use Rubbermaid tubs in my nesting box and did not place dividers between them. I have yet to find more than one hen in a single tub and they seem to have no issues using adjoining tubs. They have their lower body privacy but at the same time they can see fellow flock members. The lack of dividers seems to have eliminated the desire to crowd into one nest.

 

[tjb]

Today was another day that the hens went back to back to back in the same box.
One hen even "occupied" the left box and waited her turn for the right! So, funny.
They stay in the box so long and seem to be panting so i changed things up a bit so there would be air circulation... Southeast Texas Heat/Humidity has me worried a little.
Hoping they will be adapt quickly.