Success!!!to Nest box retrofit!!!!

I've had 6 breeds of Laying hens in this coop over a 12 year ...All of the different flocks have all used the nest boxs. This batch of birds (plumouth rocks) just will not use the nest boxs to lay eggs in. They lay directly on the floor of the coop.

I tried fake ceramic eggs, golf balls ...nothing in the box but straw, wood shavind beddeng. Tried lowering one box down next to one corner where they lay. Nothing!

???????

Try putting a split curtain in front of the box.
Sometimes a girl needs privacy.

Zim

Try a cardboard box with nesting material in it, with a fake egg or two, on the floor in the area where they like to lay their eggs now. Just leave it there.


If they see in there and try the box, they may like it, and you can gradually raise it higher till they go in at the normal height as the rest.

I know many like curtains over the entrance too, Patrice I believe has run that experiment , and her girls use the box with the curtains best, for privacy.

Ha ! Zim beat me to it !

They are a big bird if they are the white ones, are the boxes big enough for that size of a bird.

They are the barred/ plymouth rocks
Less than half the size of the totes

The coop is more of a pig-sty but here are 3 of the 4 egg box totes. . Like I said I took the fourth one and lowered it down to the floor near where they nest in a corner and they still don't use it I guess I will try the curtains they kick out all of the bedding every time I put it in there in the afternoon.

I have had several other breeds for 2 years at a time and all those other breeds use the nest boxes no problem I might turn these into chicken soup and get some more this year.

Maybe try a smaller nest box, sounds funny but those barred like tighter quarters to lay in. Least ways in my experience. Maybe they feel safer, idk lol. Creamed chicken over biscuits might be a option.

Put some hay in them totes don't be so tight! LOL

No hay in the totes puts the chickens in a fowl mood.

Mine have holes in the sides for light so maybe they need a little light!

I had one like that once. Would never lay in the box. Would let them out in the morning and she would go lay in the bushes. During the winter when they'd be cooped up she'd lay on the floor. After she turned into stew we were still finding old smelly eggs around the yard.


Some girls are just stubborn .....

Put about a 4 or 6 inch board across the front to hold the straw in and ill bet they will use them

My boxes were much cozier and had a 1x4 across the bottom and a lip over the top. They need to feel secure.

X2 on the curtains! They all like that, but I've never seen Plymouth Rocks get pickier than other breeds here. That's odd. Usually, curtains help with the kinds of hens that want to go hide their eggs somewhere besides out in the open. Hard to tell about hens who will lay their eggs right on the floor! They like to feel like their eggs are hidden in a nest, so they all seem to choose boxes with curtains if they have a choice. I conducted an experiment and put curtains on half of my nest boxes and every hen stopped using the ones without curtains and they all shared the curtained boxes.



That day a Rhode Island Red and a Barred Plymouth Rock both decided to pack themselves into the same nest box at once!

Lol cute

15 hole box each level has a a 1X2 in the front they use it 99.9% of the time very seldom find a egg on the floor maybe if one sneezed. LOL

There are a lot of good responses.

Pullets, hens that have just started laying, frequently lay on the floor. Once their eggs are full sized, hens almost always use nest boxes. If your hens just started laying, they might start laying in the boxes, on their own, once the eggs are a more viable size.

Keith

They've had straw and wood shavings dozens of times...they kick it out onto the coop floor in a couple hours

my daughter raises chickens and sells eggs. other birds too. not sure just what all they have. im happy there are cowboys and chicken people in the world. I like to eat the fruit of their labor

Chickens are interesting for sure. Tell me why when there are 4 identical nest boxes that all 6 (insert # here) birds
will lay in the same box.

Zim

Theyve been laying since october... and heres the deal.
Ive had 5 other batches for 2 years each batch. Silver laced wyandotte s were the first. 4 other breeds, in 12 years these are the Only ones that havent used those same nestboxs. So Ill try curtains , after that Im getting some more birds...this group is ticking me off.

My nests / boxes were 15x15 like a desk drawer.....nothing ovah the top....and most of the time ,they all laid their eggs all in the same nest. I had 4 nests for 12 Barred Rocks

That surprises me after seeing the picture of those plastic bins. The slick plastic would hard to get footing on and impossible to keep straw in. And the bins look huge, although that might be lack of scale.


Typically for Barred Rock, Reds, Orpingtons, gamehens, etc I build boxes 12"WX12"HX12-16"deep, with 2"-3" strip across the bottom to keep grass clippings from falling out.
When they are free all day ~20% will hide their eggs, but if left closed up til 11AM most will lay in the boxes, always one that will hold out waiting to go to her hide. If too many hide out I'll keep them all up for 3-5 days and that usually cures the hideouts for a while. Never had hens do what you describe.

>looking back at that picture; I would first put a 1X6 across the bottom and layer in some straw and then reduce the opening ~8" highX8-10" wide with curtains or what ever.

Chickens scratching are looking additional food. I put grass hay on the floor to let them pick through. If you can get throw away greens from the grocery or diner that works great in winter.
I would try a couple of 5 gallon buckets on the floor, sitting up, with something heavy part way in the bottom like gravel or corn to keep them from tipping over, and then put something in there that you have on hand for bedding, and see if that will work for you. I had some Sumatras last year that tore all the bedding out, and finally they just started laying the buckets I had cracked corn in. I declared victory.

I only have three nesting boxes but I have the same problem, all the chickens like to use the box on the right. All the boxes are identical. I’ve seen two chickens in that box at the same time with a third try to squeeze its way in.

You need to put a four or six inch board up in front of those totes to keep them from kicking the nesting material out. They’re probably trying to scratch out a depression to lay the eggs in. That’s what my chickens do. If they can’t get it hollowed out just right they won’t use it. In your case, while they’re trying to make a nest, all the material is getting kicked out the open front. So they say the heck with it and lay on the floor where there is nesting material.

That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it!

My mom kept chickens the time I was growing up. Her nest boxes had a walk in from the back that was just big enough for the hen to get through, entered the boxes from the back and had a lid you raised to gather the eggs. Boxes wern't any bigger that about twelve by twelve. Like has been said they like tightness and privacy!

Put 2 hay bales , a few inches apart, Just big enough for a hen to sneak in. piece of plywood over it. My hens hide their nests in my hay mow, all the time. When they get a nest with a dozen eggs, they will get broody and start to set. You will need a rooster, as well. old243

had a hen yesterday that wanted to fight me for the eggs.told her she had to wait another month but don't think she agreed.luckily i'm bigger than her.

ImagonnafixitToday

x2

Already answered that!!! X3

I see some very good suggestions above, and to me the boxes are too slick, too wide-open and possibly on the big side too, although I acknowledge that you have had hens use them in the past.

Usually hens like it private for laying, hence the "hidden eggs" mentioned above. I would stand a 1x4 or 1 x 6 up on edge across the front of the row of boxes to make a ledge/dam to help retain bedding and provide them a step up/step down into the nest. I would also drape something flexible across the top of the row of boxes to let them duck under to get in, or provide split 'curtains' as suggested above, to make it darker in the nest box. Once the hen has good footing and a private, secure/perceived safe place to lay, she should be good to go. If not, there's always the stew pot.

Buy your eggs from the store problem solved. LOL

them aint eggs beav,just white poop shaped like an egg.

Another 12 years and the Grandkids will all be grown... until then the Need the "Farm"

Well ...we'll try this... take it out there and add some bedding and we'll see

???

Looks a lot more inviting that way, if I was a hen I’d lay my eggs in there!

If that don't work... make soup.

Try putting them in their at night when they are in zombie mode maybe?

I'm back in the basement retrofitting egg box number to there's two hands in one box trying to lay Already!!!

THANKS A Bunch!!!

Scott

That sign must of worked now mark them large, X large and jumbo! LOL Small egg layers just go sit by the chopping block.

Success!


I much Appreciate all the suggestions 6 eggs so far, and 4 were in the proper location!

There ya go, Scott !!

All they needed was a bit of snuggly privacy !

Its good you don't have perches too high, either. Landing on the floor, even when layered with soft material can damage chook's legs and feet ....good for you !

Happy girlies

Sweet!

Really I couldn't believe it...when I had the first one up Two hens waited until I stepped back and the both went in! Hahaha!
This picture is the Best!

Yes- love that one ! Happy chooks make their caretakers happy too ....

Even the ones who from no fault of their own, lay smaller eggs......Jerry !!!

Patrice and Zim were the ones who first tried curtains and mentioned how well they work.

The curtains can be lifted up aside to clean out and put in fresh bedding easily enough.

You da Chickenking 330 everyone says mink boxes don't work maybe they just need curtains

Good job!

Chris

They must of had that 1st day of gym class shyness!

That's awesome. I'm glad it turned out well. What did you write on ther 4th box?

Good work.

The chickens must be able to read.

THAT is so funny, 330!!! Now we could all debate if it was the curtains or the board across the bottom, but clearly it's the signs!!!

Yes run , they know english print, no cursive yet

Patrice, a couple early layers chose the floor next to the feeder. Bad hens!

I now understand why my life has felt incomplete. I will remedy this chickenless condition.

chickens are great in my mind.2 roosters and 30 or so hens here.get a broody hen and sneak some eggs under her and get chicks,they eat all the scraps we get.chase me around like a dog and a whole bunch of stuff.wifey and i about fight over takin care of them.hoping to get a couple beefers on the "ranch" soon.

Thanks.

I can't see from the photo - that isn't their only roost there, is it? If the girls are roosted at night right by the boxes and a low-in-the-pecking-order girl is ready to lay early in the morning, she may be shy about pushing her way past the lead hens. Since they lay on a cycle that is a bit longer than 24 hours, she will lay a little later every day. It would be interesting to see if those girls use the nest boxes after everyone else is walking around, out of the way.

If there are other roosts, disregard this post! Back to the psychological drawing board!

I am glad you had success.