Pullets laying eggs in corner of coop

[Alicat4244]

Hi all recently my young girls started laying . They also started off great with laying in the nesting boxes. Recently one of them has made a nest in the back of coop ( under the roost) and they are all laying there now I can tell you this happened almost immediately after I did a thorough cleaning but I've done this before and didn't use anything different. Amazingly enough it's in the corner where poop doesn't get on them .. but awkward spot and I've gotten poop on me once or twice just trying to get the eggs should I block that corner? Take the eggs and put in nesting box??

 

[andreanar]

My girls are starting to lay and only once hit the nest box! I put fake eggs in the nest boxes. Can you move your nest box to the corner where they are laying? Or put a new box there? I would do that myself, if mine were laying in one spot? One lays behind the nest boxes, one lays in front of the nest boxes and one lays...well, wherever it falls out of her I guess! LOL

 

[apryl29]

Mind did this, started laying in the corner behind the feed bin. They're looking for privacy. I ended up buying a $10 pre-made box from tractor supply and putting it where they were laying, but it sounds like that may not work for you. Mine have since stopped using that box and chose a corner box that most of them now lay in now. You can also put an egg (or golf ball, or ceramic eggs) where you want them to lay and it may help. It kind of worked for mine. I took a couple eggs and put a mark on them so I didn't accidentally grab it w/ the others and stuck it in the nest. I would take a good look at your nesting boxes and see if there's any way you can enclose them a bit more to make them more inviting. I have 7 boxes, in a row and they only like to lay in the boxes on the ends, by the wall. There is only a short divider in between boxes, so I need to make that higher, but haven't had a chance yet.

 

[Alicat4244]

Thanks! I just grabbed the eggs that were there and put in nesting box we'll see if that helps .

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I have ceramic eggs in all of my nest boxes... so far, once my first girl was laying, she's hit the same box every time. The only one that's up high; she likes privacy when she lays. The other hamburg will only lay on the floor of the coop. I've tried to show her the nest boxes, but she refuses.
Oh, our nest boxes are outside the coop, incidentally. Oh, @Squeak61 take a look!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m a believer in the fake eggs helping a lot to direct them where to lay but it doesn’t always work. They do tend to want to lay where another chicken is laying, but not all of them do. I occasionally get one doing this and yes, it can attract others to that area. Where mine typically do it I use a rake to gently retrieve the eggs so I don’t have to crawl on the poopy coop floor.

I’m retired so I’m usually around. I built a couple of nests so I can lock a hen in there if I want to. That’s come in handy for a few different things. When I find a hen laying in some place other than the nest, I try to catch her on the nest and lock her into a real nest until she lays an egg. I lock the pop door and use a fish net to catch her. That fish net may help convince her it’s not really a safe place to lay, I’m not sure about that though. Usually I only have to do this once but I have had a few that once was not enough. Usually the hen lays the egg within a half hour of locking her in but I’ve had some go over three hours.

Something I haven’t tried but a few people on here said it worked for them. Put a nest where they are laying, get them used to using that nest. That might be nothing more than a milk crate or a cardboard box with bedding. After they have gotten used to using that nest, gradually move it toward your real nests. 6” to a foot every few days, you’ll need patience. If you get it to where it’s OK you can stop there. Or move all the way to your real nests and leave it for a while, then remove it and see where they now make their nest.

I tried blocking that area but that did not work, they laid next to whatever I used to block it.

Good luck this can be a challenge.

 

[Alicat4244]

I’m a believer in the fake eggs helping a lot to direct them where to lay but it doesn’t always work. They do tend to want to lay where another chicken is laying, but not all of them do. I occasionally get one doing this and yes, it can attract others to that area. Where mine typically do it I use a rake to gently retrieve the eggs so I don’t have to crawl on the poopy coop floor.

I’m retired so I’m usually around. I built a couple of nests so I can lock a hen in there if I want to. That’s come in handy for a few different things. When I find a hen laying in some place other than the nest, I try to catch her on the nest and lock her into a real nest until she lays an egg. I lock the pop door and use a fish net to catch her. That fish net may help convince her it’s not really a safe place to lay, I’m not sure about that though. Usually I only have to do this once but I have had a few that once was not enough. Usually the hen lays the egg within a half hour of locking her in but I’ve had some go over three hours.

Something I haven’t tried but a few people on here said it worked for them. Put a nest where they are laying, get them used to using that nest. That might be nothing more than a milk crate or a cardboard box with bedding. After they have gotten used to using that nest, gradually move it toward your real nests. 6” to a foot every few days, you’ll need patience. If you get it to where it’s OK you can stop there. Or move all the way to your real nests and leave it for a while, then remove it and see where they now make their nest.

I tried blocking that area but that did not work, they laid next to whatever I used to block it.

Good luck this can be a challenge.

Thank you Ridgerunner all good suggestions !!

 

[apryl29]

I have ceramic eggs in all of my nest boxes... so far, once my first girl was laying, she's hit the same box every time. The only one that's up high; she likes privacy when she lays. The other hamburg will only lay on the floor of the coop. I've tried to show her the nest boxes, but she refuses.
Oh, our nest boxes are outside the coop, incidentally. Oh, @Squeak61 take a look! View attachment 1168211 View attachment 1168212

I love the idea of using a litter box for a nesting box! I might steal that idea.

 

[Squeak61]

I have ceramic eggs in all of my nest boxes... so far, once my first girl was laying, she's hit the same box every time. The only one that's up high; she likes privacy when she lays. The other hamburg will only lay on the floor of the coop. I've tried to show her the nest boxes, but she refuses.
Oh, our nest boxes are outside the coop, incidentally. Oh, @Squeak61 take a look! View attachment 1168211 View attachment 1168212

Oh wow, she grew up to be quite a looker! And I see eggs! I’m so glad she’s doing great, Jen Thanks for the update

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Oh wow, she grew up to be quite a looker! And I see eggs! I’m so glad she’s doing great, Jen Thanks for the update

Those are ceramic eggs... This one is hers, in the middle. Cairo, the gold, lays barely off white eggs the same size.