All i have ever had to do was supply the box, the hens go to them and do their thing, self educated, they don't lay on the ground unless it is by accident, which is seldom, i have 10 box's in the big house and 4 in the smaller one, today i gathered 30 eggs from the bottom row of 5 nests, none...
You should move your nest box's oof the ground about 18 inch's, they may have a complex about being boxed in on the ground, where as they may feel more secure off the ground, mine are about 40 inchs off the gound and mine only lay on the ground if all the box's are occupied, i have about 3 hens...
I have many breeds of chickens and they lay all sorts of colors, I have whites eggs now that are not in the picture and about 15 Ameracaunas and EEs that are not laying yet, I will be posting new pics as they are added to the mix.
Most egg layers start between 16 to 20 weeks, dual purpose are closer to 20 to 24 weeks and some breeds start even later, so be patient and good things will come, keep them healthy, free from stress and danger and give them a private place to lay and full daylight, all these things have a direct...
The first egg is special in many ways, and the combs and wattles on all hens grow just before starting to lay, the wattles and cone help keep the chickens blood cool as they do not sweat, and producing an egg is hard work.