Convincing the Hens to lay in the Nesting Boxes

[artemis]

I tried talking to them, of course, but they don't pay me any mind.  


There appear to be two of the layers that haven't gotten, or at least read, the memo.  (11 hens, not sure how many are actually laying yet, but I'm guessing at least half if not more, since I'm now getting 5-6 eggs a day, and they're certainly not all laying every day since it's winter and they don't have extra light.)  One likes laying on the floor of the coop and the other gets her jollies laying out in the run proper.  Most everyone else knows what to do.  


I started them off with the two ceramic eggs in nesting boxes; I also refresh the bedding there regularly.  There are six nesting boxes for 11 layers.   


The problem with laying in the wrong spot is that they tend to be covered with poo, and the one who lays outdoors rather than in the coop - well, her last one froze, cracked, and there was poo everywhere so it had to be tossed.  I wish I knew which birds these were!   


Just as a side note:  I've gotten 70 eggs as of this morning, since November 20th.  Only three have frozen to date (the other two were clean so I ate them immediately) -- the early two frozen ones happened when temps plummeted to about 2 degrees F, for Thanksgiving.  


Anyway, any suggestions?  

[maryellen]

I use golf balls in the nest boxes, but some new layers lay in the run or yard until they figure it out.

[boskelli1571]

Give them some time. Some folks keep them penned in the hen-house until noon-ish, by which time everyone should have laid, but I think they will get the hang of it eventually.

Having said that, I have 2 perverse little buggers who will not lay in the nest box regularly. They will for a short time and them you find one in the middle of the barn! 

[seminolewind]

Hopefully they all eventually lay in the nest. Sometimes I think as with pecking order, there's laying order. And it hasn't been straightened out yet. Maybe 2 hens need to lay at the same time. Some of mine would double up in urgency. Others can't wait. And they all want the same nest. Eventually hopefully their systems retime themselves to all fit in at their time.

[maryellen]

Sometimes i find eggs in the yard, i think for some its like omg its coming out now i cant make it back!!

[artemis]

Thanks!

Over the last two days: 7 eggs found yesterday morning, 5 in one box, 1 in an adjacent box, 1 in the very first box (this is probably Idril, she seems to have taken stake over the first laying box, and she's my pushy buff Orpington).

Just now, 5 eggs in the box that a lot were laid in yesterday, one egg on the coop floor... Maybe this is progress? PS, Idril was fluffing herself down into her box as I was replenishing the water.

(I usually do check twice a day, but I was called away both of the past two days.)   PS:  They had the use of the enclosed run while I was out, so I was glad (knock on wood) not to see anything in the run.  


Thanks all, hopefully they'll all catch on soon!

[seminolewind]

Yes I think the hens are learning. I think because they're a flock eventually they all want all their eggs in one basket!

[maryellen]

Yep they are figuring the nest boxes out!

[seminolewind]

Sometimes it works to make one nest wide enough for 2.