Chickens laying anywhere but their actual nest box!!

[Becks01]

Hello!

A bit of a random post, but any tips for encouraging hens to actually use their nest box? Ours free range over about half an acre with the ponies and seem to find new and inventive (and inaccessible!!) places to lay (well the one that bothers to lay, the other two are free loaders!)

I've tried making their nest box really inviting, but to no avail...apparently squeezing yourself into a 6 inch gap and balancing on some old straw with enormous round hay bales towering over you is much nicer?!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!

 

[milliepops]

ooh will be watching this with interest. Ours don't get let out of the run until lunchtime, by which time they will have laid their eggs *in the correct place* grrr. Otherwise same problem as you

 

[Dry Rot]

Check that the nest box straw isn't infested with vermin (mites etc)!

Leave a fresh egg in the nest you want them to use.

Give them a good talking to?

Crows and magpies will steal eggs from nest boxes but they don't like going into dark spaces. I've fitted a bit of black polythene sheet split vertically over the fronts of mine which the hens push can through but keep out crows. Might be worth a try.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Are the nest boxes dark enough? If not, try hanging curtains (I use old sacks and replace every six months, stops vent pecking too)


Do you have red mite?

Do you have enough laying boxes for the amount of hens?

 

[jrp204]

Make sure the nest boxes are dark enough.

 

[PorkChop]

I agree, make sure your nest boxes are really dark and I would also try leaving a couple of eggs in them.

We haven't had this problem yet - well, we have one that lays in the tack room, but that is totally acceptable!

It is funny because we have lots of nest boxes but there are a couple that they queue for - too funny

 

[Alec Swan]

But isn't hunting for the new nest all part of the fun?

We have guinea fowl too. Not only are they the most useless mothers which God ever designed, they will also lay 50 eggs in one nest, during incubation and with two hens sharing, most of the eggs will chill, and then the few chicks which hatch will be dragged, by their mothers through the wettest grass and die within days.

Alec.

 

[D66]

Dust the chickens and nest boxes with diatom earth to reduce mites. If the mites are really bad, you can use a sulphur candle in the hen house, but you have to keep the chickens somewhere else for 24 hours afterwards.

 

[Becks01]

Thanks everyone for the replies...interesting that so many people have suggested about keeping it dark in there....It definitely could be darker so I will see if I can rig something up.

I will also give it all a good scrub and disinfect this week just in case there's any nasties in there...we haven't had a problem with anything before as it's a plastic Eglu, but that's not to say that haven't moved in!

The chooks used to love laying in my horses field shelter as he had a deep straw bed and that sort of worked for everyone when they decided not to use their next box...but now he's on Megazorb which they are not too happy about so have obviously decided to look elsewhere!!

What do people use in their nest boxes? I have always put in hay or straw....

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I use chopped miscanthus/hemp in my nest boxes

hay isn't great for chooks, too many spores-they are prone to respiratory problems, normal straw can harbour mites although I've used both on occasion

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hello!

A bit of a random post, but any tips for encouraging hens to actually use their nest box? Ours free range over about half an acre with the ponies and seem to find new and inventive (and inaccessible!!) places to lay (well the one that bothers to lay, the other two are free loaders!)

I've tried making their nest box really inviting, but to no avail...apparently squeezing yourself into a 6 inch gap and balancing on some old straw with enormous round hay bales towering over you is much nicer?!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!

My mum had chickens do the same as this, I don't think she ever cured it her self but they just started using the nest box.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Mine are the same! We have one layer and one freeloader too!
It started when we moved house. They have a shed which they sleep in and used to lay in. I spoke to a chicken farmer (eggs not meat) last week and he said they need retraining and to leave them shut into the shed for a couple of days. Obviously not on hot days and with food and water. I've not tried it yet as it sounded a bit mean!

 

[Clodagh]

They love hay most of all, I use hay in nestboxes. I haven't had a problem with respiratory issues, I use good hay well shaken out, it is always dry and I change it weekly. An old boy, many years ago, told me that hay is their favourite and if they are laying out it will get them back in. Our farmyrd hens never get let out until they have laid their eggs, and one day a week they stay in all day.
Try not to let them see you collecting the eggs, they aren't so stupid that they keep laying in the same spot when the eggs go missing, and a crock egg will help.