Why do chickens lay eggs on the ground? Not in Nest

[1234duck]

My chickens finally started laying eggs and I'm so eggsited... lol They have all been in the same nest in the coop with the exception of a couple eggs in the coop but not quite to a nest. (they were in the "hallway", I call it. Under the roosting polls in front of each nesting box) I have found 13 eggs in the coop and then noticed 2 eggs outside on the ground. The eggs were not on the ground the day before. As for all the eggs in the coop... I hadn't been checking so was very surprised to find them. There are 4 young hens which just started laying. ~ My question is why are they laying outside of nesting boxes or outside of their coop? Thanks, ~Julie~

 

[gale65]

Ours laid 3 eggs in the coop but so far that has been all-the rest have been in the nests. I did put golf balls in the nest a few weeks before they started laying.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Rookie mistakes. They'll get better.