Silly Hens and Laying Boxes.

Maybe this topic has been covered before but......Being fairly new to the world of chickens I need advice on how to convince the girls to lay in the wonderful laying boxes created by Hubby.  Boxes are 15x15 inches (foot print) and 18 inches tall to allow plenty of room for our big girls.  They are about 15 inches off the floor of the coop and filled with a base of shavings, topped with straw.  Golf balls to help them get the idea.  There is a roost/step rail about 10 inches from the floor and 6 inches away from the front of the boxes so they don't have to work too hard to get in.  Silly girls still insist on laying on the floor.  Any advice would be appreciated.

Mine did the floor thing for a long time, then up and started laying in the nest box. So I have no suggestions. Sometimes, chickens just do what they want.

Fake eggs can help. I notice that most eggs are laid in the boxes that have a fake egg in it at my place.

Fake eggs, or sacrifice one really egg. Put an X on it so you know not to eat it, and leave it in the nest for a week. Sometimes golf balls work and sometimes they don't. I have found that with fake eggs too, but the real eggs that are laid by another hen in the house seems to motivate them.
Also rough up the area they are nesting in now or put something on top of the area so they have to change.
Give them a little time, usually if pullets don't have older hens in with them to show them the 'right' place to lay it takes them a little longer to get it.

I find time is all it takes. Often I think new chickens are surprised by their eggs and don't seem to have time to get up to the box.

also try starting with something like a rubber made tub with a hole cut in the side or covered litter box. Chickens naturally are ground nesters. So if you start with a moveable nesting box on the ground and slowly move it each day closer to the raised nest boxes. Once you get them right next to the raised nest box you can remove the floor nest box. Hopefully then they will catch on to the nest box.

Also if you have the space lower the nest box to about 4 inches off the ground, then once they are laying steadily in the nest box you can raise it back to the height you would prefer it.

Also is the nesting area the darkest part of your coop? If not try hanging a blanket or tarp closer the the nesting area and it should help encourage your hens to start using the nest boxes.

Thank you for the suggestions.  We will try them and hope it works.... i'm tired of stepping on eggs

I still haven't figured out what the criteria is that makes them interested in a laying box. I wish we had made ours deeper. Any time I put anything out that is deep, that is where they want to be. An old cheese barrel is their favourite and recently two EO's who just started laying are about two feet down inside a box of straw bedding. If I want them to lay in a certain nest all I do is put at least three eggs in there and make sure they are visible. One thing I have noticed is they seem to think that 'if that nest was good enough for them then its probably good enough for me'.( More likely it is instinct so that there is more genetic diversity).

YAY!!!! The pullets who just started are using the nest boxes...it's the ladies who started laying BEFORE the new nest boxes were in that insist on using the floor. We are learning to walk softly.

I too think it just takes time, some get it really fast, others take a bit longer. Certainly, nest boxes that are lower to the ground are more attractive, but once they get onto where they SHOULD lay, they can be higher. And too, making it so they can't lay on the floor in the favourite spot helps too, somethign that is in their way. Stepping on eggs is a bummer, did that the other day. Sometimes I just find one in the middle of the floor, like it fell out as a bird was walking but only once in a while. Good luck, they'll get it eventually, have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.

CynthiaM wrote:

just noticed your post is from 0350 this am....you are up mighty early!