why wont my chickens lay in the nesting boxes????

[dento]

I have 8 barred rock hens and a rooster they are all fully grown. I get 5-8 eggs per day the problem is only one of the hens will lay in the nesting boxes the rest choose to lay on the ground the boxes are at various hights but they are all lower then the roosts. I have tried putting fake eggs in the boxes but it doesnt seem to be working at all.

what can i do the get them to lay in the boxes?

 

[CarrieW]

Hopefully someone will chime in here. I am also having the same problem. I have 25 new chickens that have just started laying, and they all lay on the ground. I just combined my 2 coops, so hopefully my big girls will show the little girls what to do.

 

[Beekissed]

Are they laying on the ground outside your coop or inside? If outside, confine them to the coop for 3-4 days to train them to the nest boxes.

What nesting material are you using? Is your nest boxes nice and private or are they too open? Hens like nice private boxes...not too big...with grass like material for nesting. They will nest in pine shavings and such if nothing else is available but they really like hay or grass best~its what they like to use if they build their own nests outside.

Hens really like to hide when they lay their eggs...its instinct. Provide nice private nests with a natural material for nesting and they will start laying in the boxes.

You might also try taking their eggs from the ground and leaving them in the nests overnight....hens like to lay in nests that already have eggs in them.