Get Hens to Lay in Their Nest Boxes

Easter egg hunts are fun, but you probably don’t want to hunt for eggs every day. Show your hens that you want them to lay in their nest boxes by sticking a fake egg in each nest box.

When our chickens were approaching laying age (5-6 months), I picked up two marble eggs from a flea market, and stuck one in each nest box. It worked like a charm. When we go out to collect eggs, they’re right where they should be.

And don’t feel like you have to have marble eggs. Use a ceramic egg, a wooden egg or even a golf ball. Anything remotely egg shaped should do the trick.

More Tips to Get Hens to Use Their Nest Boxes:

• Make them private – Position your nest boxes in a dark, quiet spot in the coop
• Make sure you have enough nest boxes – One box for every five hens is about right.
• Make them cozy – Fill your nest boxes with a good amount of shavings or straw. Replenish them whenever they get low
• Keep your hens inside until they lay – If you let your hens free range, wait until after they’ve laid to let them out for the day. Once they understand that eggs go in their nest boxes, you can go back to letting them out first thing in the morning. Ours are good about heading back to the coop to lay