I have two chickens, both hens. I made a new coop and the nest box is on an upper accessible level, but the hens choose to lay eggs on the ground. I have attempted to block the area they chose to lay in and they find a new area. I place a fake egg in the nest box to encourage them. They still lay eggs on the ground. How can I get them to redirect and redirect for excellent?
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Lock them in a huge cage
I grew up on a small chicken ranch and have raised chicks of my own so sorry to tell you that I know for a fact that there is no way that you can get hens to lay there eggs in there nest boxes.There just gonna lay them where ever they want to lay them.SORRY.Sincerly Jacko
Leave all eggs that are laid in the new nesting box for a week, keep placing the eggs and hens if able in the box when you hear then clucking.
Maybe the boxes are too high for them as they like height to roost at night not to lay so rethink your plot as well.
Cheers
Roadies Wife
Since you have used fake eggs in the nest and that didn’t work, try putting a milk crate on the floor as a nesting box with some fake eggs in it, to make it simpler to access. Make sure you have enough nesting boxes, and that they are roomy enough for them to use. Your chickens should eventually learn.
I see that you have answers stating both extremes,one tells you that a chicken will lay just where she pleases while another hopefully states that they will eventually fall in line.I have had chickens falling into both categories & have found it pretty hard to change the way of thinking /laying of a steadfast hen.
Keeping a hen in a small cage just large enough to take the nest box,leaves her no option but to lay in the box,this plot is labour intensive but gives us the satisfaction that after about a week of this routine the hen will opt for the nest box to lay her eggs.In India we place the recalcitrant hen in a selected place or box,cover with a roomy loosely woven reed or bamboo basket ,she gets the thought & she is then given her liberty after she has laid her egg,a few repeat sessions are needed to make it a habit.