Won't lay in the nest box

[UnionMan]

I have 9 laying hens in a 7x10 coop with 3 nest boxes. 5 out of the 9 hens are laying the other 4 are at POL. 3 of the birds that are laying have been since last season. One stubborn black copper maran refuses to use the nest boxes. Her first egg was found on the sand coop floor and every egg since then has been found on the poop board below the roost pole which is full of sweetPDZ. How can I break this habit. All the other hens have always layed eggs in the nesting boxes. What go I do.......

Here she is after laying a egg in the poop board.

 

[Johnn]

Do you have fake eggs in the nest boxes? If not then try it, it may encourage her to use it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Something that has worked for me. I built my nests so I could lock a hen in there if I wanted to. I didn’t know why I might want to but I like flexibility. Anyway, when I find a hen has decided someplace in the coop is a better place to lay that the nest box, I catch her when she is on her chosen nest and lock her in the nest until she lays. Then I let her out. Usually this takes about a half-hour and only one time, but I did have one hen that took over three hours and I had to do it two days in a row.

I think a fake egg in the nest all the time really helps them learn to lay in the nests plus I have older hens to give them a good example, but I occasionally see this problem.

Good luck!!!

 

[UnionMan]

Ive never had to put fake eggs in the nest box since my older hens lay in the boxes like normal. If real eggs being laid in the boxes aren't enough of a hint I don't think fake ones would help. I might have to try and lock her in one of the net boxes though. One day I tried picking her up after she was sitting on the poop board and putting her in one of the nesting boxes. She stating scratching around like she wanted to lay in there but I left the coop and she ended up laying the egg back on the poop board. Not sure what else to do might just lock her in the nest box and try that.

 

[Mattemma]

Can you block the area she wants to lay in? I would stick her in the nest box too,or put her in a small dog crate.

I had hens that laid eggs on the floor. I just kept giving different nest boxes.Now my issue is one RSL hen that likes to sleep in the nest box! I close the box off,but sometimes don't get in early enough to open up for the hens.