Will they eventually catch on to the nesting boxes?

[ikemiker]

I have one out of my sixteen "Easter Eggers" just start laying last week. So far, each egg has been laid in a hollow she scratched out of the litter. None of my girls will go in the nesting boxes at all, even though we have ceramic eggs in them. Is this something that they will eventually just catch onto? I am worried the nesting boxes are too small. I planned on 12x12 inches, but I think they came out more like 10 x 10.

I don't mind finding that one egg in it's little spot each morning, but I am worried once all 16 start laying that I might step on eggs hidden under the straw.

Jen

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm thinking your boxes are too small. My boxes are made with dish pans for liners, and while the girls can comfortably use them, and I've seen as many as 4 girls stacked in one box like kindling wood, (the 3 on top desperately trying to displace the one on the bottom) they absolutely LOVE this box that I put in a broody area: https://www.walmart.com/ip/MPI-Wood-Pine-Large-Crate/46161817#about-item

I simply removed 2 slats on one long side.