Why won't Betty use the nest box?

[Robin'sBrood]

My BA started back to laying a couple of weeks ago but for some reason she refuses to use her old nest box.

WHY?

I have been getting eggs off the nasty floor of the coop so a few days ago I put stuff in there so she couldn't make a nest. This morning I found a filthy dirty egg behind a container on the ground and another one under the steps.

I moved the nest box (which is full of nice, clean pine shavings) to another location and made it as private as possible for her. What are the odds of her going back to it? And I sacrificed the two dirty eggs, marked them, and put them in the box. Think that will help to encourage her to lay there?

 

[PortageGirl]

It could/might/should work, either some marked eggs like you did, or wooden eggs that hatcheries sell, or just old golf balls is exactly what I would have suggested.

Is the nest box big enough for her? heh, sorry!

She's a chicken... *sigh* they aren't overly bright.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

The nest box is very roomy since it's a small dog house that has been converted (the coop is an XL dog has that has been converted

) and she always laid in it before she took her winter hiatus.

Thanks for the well wishes, she was doing her BOK BOKKING a little bit ago so hopefully I'll find a new egg soon.

 

[jjthink]

I think they may pick their spots for good reasons that we may just not understand. Maybe put nice clean pine shavings (without box) in the spots she has chosen and then maybe she'll lay there again but the egg will be spiffy clean! (or as clean as they get anyway!)

JJ

 

[agirly4chicks]

Could she maybe not like the pine shavings anymore?

 

[Robin'sBrood]

I don't think the pine shaving are the problem because the coop floor, where she has chosen to lay, is covered with the same kind... from the same bag, in fact.

I'll see what she does today and try to make more adjustments to encourage her back into her nest box.

 

[sugarbush]

Do you have more dominant hens who will not let her in the boxes?

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Oh no, Betty is top hen, my only other two are bantams. The bantams aren't even laying right now so the nest box is all hers to use.

All three shared the box with no problems before winter set in so I don't see that being a problem. Maybe once they start laying again it will go back to the way it used to be. I'm really hoping that having Betty's eggs in there will encourage her to use it again.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

IT WORKED... she laid in the nest box today!

 

[Lobzi]

Yep, I was having the same problem. I dont think some hen like their eggs being taken. Now I leave 3 eggs at a time, mark and take the oldest one each day she lays. It has worked for me.