Why won't some chickens lay in the nesting boxes anymore?

[Farmer Mike S]

I have five chickens who are currently on their second egg laying season. I have three nesting boxes that measure 12x12x12 and they used them last year with no issue. This year I will get a few eggs in the boxes and also a few in the corner of the coop. The nesting boxes are kept clean and have plenty of shavings in them, and I have 3 so I don't think they are fighting over boxes. Why are they doing this?

 

[cackleberrycam]

Sometimes when you take a hen's eggs, she feels like she must lay in a different spot so that you won't steal their eggs. One way to deal with this is to place fake eggs or golf balls in the nesting box so that it looks like you did not take any eggs at all.