Why do my hens lay everywhere in the coop, but the nesting boxes?

[Tlco]

I have 2 Self Blue Cochins that just started laying, They walk around the coop and cluck and complain. After awhile they lay any place and every place. (They don't lay on the same day and usually never in the same location) Their favorite place is right in front of the door when you walk in..if you don't watch you will step on it. They have a wooden coop inside a very large run for 3 hens, with nesting boxes inside they refuse to go inside of. I have wooden nesting boxes hanging low to the ground and they don't even look at them. I have a very large metal feed bucket on the ground with fake eggs in it, which they look at but refuse to lay in it. I have nice soft pine shavings in all the boxes. They came from a breeder here in the area. They had been raised in a large turkey barn with large pens inside for different ages only thing in there was low to the ground ladder type roost.....which mine also refuse to roost, the 3 of them pile up on the ground in a corner. Any clue to this behavior? Do I need to get and older hen to teach them what to do?? No rooster in the house...Thank you for your ideas.

 

[Ab1010]

Maybe they are just used to roosting near the ground? Mine all roost on the top bar. Do you have a picture of your nesting boxes? You can try putting one of their eggs in there or buying a ceramic or wooden egg and leaving it in the nesting box to encourage them. I have one hen that no matter what she lays her eggs in the one nesting box I use to store grit and medicine. She will crawl in there and lay her egg behind a giant can of bath powder. Some chickens are weird.

 

[abpatchy]

New hens do that. No worries. Put a fake egg in the nest box and they will learn where to lay their eggs. I have new hens that figured it out immediately ... and other well, they are a little slow.

 

[aart]

Please post pics of your coop and run, inside and out, showing nests and roosts.
How long have you had these birds?

 

[Tlco]

How long have you had these birds?

I got them in May of this yr at the age of 4 mo old they are now 7-8 mo old and have just started laying. They have never gotten up on the roost or in the small coop inside the run. I just recently took the wooden boxes down as one got a splinter in her foot from one of them after I set them in the boxes for the night. They have a large metal tub with soft pine shavings in them (on floor level) and 2 fake eggs..they walk over and look at them but that is about it. I am at work today so can't get photos but will try later today.

 

[KHasChickens]

I only have one laying right now. The rest are still too young. But she was dropping her eggs all over the place. My Brother-in-law told me that chickens like to lay eggs where it is dark. I put my nesting boxes under the window where the most light comes in, so that they are in the darkest place in the coop. That seemed to do the trick for her. Finally started getting the eggs in the nesting box! I've heard some people suggest putting an little curtain or something over it if you can't get it in a darker place. Good luck! I'm hoping she will teach the younger ones where to lay eggs for when they start!

 

[Tlco]

Sorry took so long to get photos, had a lot going on with the storm here in Texas. Here is the coop area, they have a nest box inside the top of the little coop...which they never go into and a metal bucket that they never lay in but always look into at the fake eggs. The 2 that are laying just lay everywhere and anywhere its always an Easter egg hunt.

 

[aart]

Can that non fluffy bird get up in to the tiny coop?
I'm wondering if the fluffy bird are just not very nimble.
The roost is rather slender.

 

[Tlco]

Can that non fluffy bird get up in to the tiny coop?
I'm wondering if the fluffy bird are just not very nimble.
The roost is rather slender.

The speckled Brabanter flies very well and can get on top of the coop if she wants too and does occasionally hop up on the ledge and look in. She is not old enough to lay yet. The 2 Self Blue Cochins do hop up on the ledge but show no interest in going inside. I am changing out the roost bar for small ceder post or a 2 x 4 depending what my local lumberyard has available asap. Also gonna try and add a ladder for the fluffy butts. The girls are just starting to lay at 71/2 mo old...been very hot here in Texas and I think the heat slowed them down. The Brabanter is only 3 mo old so have some time before she lays.