When is the best time to introduce the Nesting Box?

[Iluveggers]

I definitely recommend fake eggs. I’m a bit neurotic, so I bought a pack of 12 wooden ones on Amazon, and painted them shades of brown, cream, tan, Olive & blue. Before my girls started laying, I put 3 in each nest box and I think that really helped them figure out where to lay AND not peck eggs as nothing happened to the fake ones when they did it. Out of my 10, only my Easter Egger laid somewhere else…found a few of her eggs in the run the first week, but then she figured it out!

 

[aart]

Would you say about 8-10 inches out from the edge of the nesting box?

Yep, 8" worked for me.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/albums/nests.7427682/

 

[CrystalAnon]

I definitely recommend fake eggs. I’m a bit neurotic, so I bought a pack of 12 wooden ones on Amazon, and painted them shades of brown, cream, tan, Olive & blue. Before my girls started laying, I put 3 in each nest box and I think that really helped them figure out where to lay AND not peck eggs as nothing happened to the fake ones when they did it. Out of my 10, only my Easter Egger laid somewhere else…found a few of her eggs in the run the first week, but then she figured it out!

That’s awesome!

 

[NatJ]

I especially like the idea of adding roosts just outside the laying boxes! Would you say about 8-10 inches out from the edge of the nesting box? I’m thinking that would probably be close enough to be easier to get into the box, but also allow them to poop through the space to the floor instead of the nesting box.

That distance sounds reasonable to me.

Chickens come in various sizes, so go by what looks good for the chickens you have

 

[CrystalAnon]

That distance sounds reasonable to me.

Chickens come in various sizes, so go by what looks good for the chickens you have

Yup! I have various-sized chickens.

 

[CrystalAnon]

I definitely recommend fake eggs. I’m a bit neurotic, so I bought a pack of 12 wooden ones on Amazon, and painted them shades of brown, cream, tan, Olive & blue. Before my girls started laying, I put 3 in each nest box and I think that really helped them figure out where to lay AND not peck eggs as nothing happened to the fake ones when they did it. Out of my 10, only my Easter Egger laid somewhere else…found a few of her eggs in the run the first week, but then she figured it out!

Got the laying boxes cleaned & set up for them tonight. They’re going to be 15 weeks old on Monday, so they’ll have 3 weeks to check out the area.
Still planning on adding nap roosts on the outside of the laying boxes. But we added some golf balls as fake eggs. My husband was not down for spending more money, buying fake eggs.
We used the aspen laying box liners others suggested here.

 

[rosemarythyme]

But we added some golf balls as fake eggs. My husband was not down for spending more money, buying fake eggs.

IMO those are the easiest option, and cheap. The dimples on them make them super easy to differentiate between real eggs just by feel, so I can blindly stick my hand under a hen and grab eggs.