Unscrambling the Code: How to Get Your Hens Laying in Their Nest Boxes

If you're a backyard chicken keeper, you've likely encountered the frustration of floor eggs - those eggs laid outside the nest boxes and often in inconvenient or hard-to-reach spots. Not only do floor eggs create extra work but they can also lead to cracked, dirty or even eaten eggs. The good news is that with the right strategies, you can significantly reduce or even eliminate floor eggs in your backyard flock. Let's explore some expert tips to keep your hens laying where they should.

Understanding Floor Egg Behaviour 

Before we dive into prevention strategies, it's helpful to understand why hens lay floor eggs in the first place. Several factors can influence this behaviour:

• Individual hen preferences - Some hens simply prefer laying on the ground
• Genetics - Certain breeds may be more prone to floor-laying
• Early experiences - How pullets are raised can shape adult laying habits  
• Nest box design - Unappealing nest boxes may be avoided by hens
• Flock dynamics - Competition for preferred nest sites 
• Coop layout - Poor design can discourage nest use

The key is that floor laying is often a learned behaviour. If you can encourage your young hens to use the nest boxes from the start, you're much more likely to avoid problems later. Let's look at some specific strategies:

Start with the Correct Raising Environment

One of the most important factors in preventing floor eggs is how you raise your young chicks and pullets (a hen that is less than a 12-months old):

• Provide perches from about 4 weeks of age. This helps the chicks to learn to navigate vertical spaces.
• Consider using a 'dark brooder' (a cosy, enclosed space) for chicks, which can reduce later floor laying.
• Introduce pullets to your chicken coop at around 14-17 weeks old. This gives them time to learn the layout before they start laying.

Design Appealing Nest Boxes 

Your nest boxes should be the most appealing laying spot in the coop. Some tips:

• Ensure nest boxes are easily accessible for hens so not too high above the ground
• Make sure that the feeder and drinker aren’t too far from your nest boxes
• Use nest box curtains for privacy. Most hens prefer enclosed, dark spaces.
• Provide comfortable nesting materials that are anti-bacterial such as hemp
• Keep nest boxes clean, dry and free of parasites such as red mite
• Consider adding a small, LED light near the nest boxes that comes on just before dawn to guide hens

Optimise Your Coop Layout

The overall coop design plays a big role in nest box use:

• Position feeders and drinkers in locations that encourage hens to move above the coop floor
• Use ramps if needed to help hens access raised areas
• Avoid creating dark, cosy corners on the coop or run floor that may attract laying
• Ensure adequate nest box space (A3 size), and allow 1 box per 4-5 hens
• If free-ranging your hens, consider delaying their morning release until after most eggs are laid, typically by 11 am.

Implement a Training Period

The first few weeks when your pullets start laying are critical for establishing good nesting habits:

• If possible, restrict pullets to the chicken coop and nesting boxes for the first couple of weeks to familiarise hens with their nest boxes -  what I call “orientation”.
• Do frequent coop checks in the morning to gently encourage any floor-sitting hens to move
• Collect any floor eggs as soon as possible to avoid encouraging others hens
• Place fake eggs in the nest boxes to show hens where to lay
• Gradually increase coop access free ranging once good habits are established

Ongoing Management Strategies

Even with a good start, ongoing management of your flock is important:

• Continue regular flock checks and especially during peak laying hours in the morning
• Maintain good lighting - not too dim on the floor and not too bright in nests
• Ensure hens have access to nest boxes before they need to lay
• Monitor for and address any health issues that may affect the mobility of your flock members
• Make it more difficult or uncomfortable for persistent floor layers to lay in the areas where you don’t want them to continue laying

Choose Your Breeds Wisely

While management is key, genetics also play a role:

• Some breeds are known for being better nest box users than others such as many hybrid hens
• Some heritage breeds may be more prone to floor laying or broody behaviour when they want to spend all of their time in the nest box

Remember, Every Flock is Different

While these tips provide a good foundation, it's important to remember that every flock can be different. Successful backyard chicken keepers emphasise the importance of observing your birds closely and adjusting your management as needed. What works for one flock may need tweaking for another. The key is to start early and complete a thorough orientation for all new chickens added to your backyard coop. 

The Impact of Good Management

The good news is that with diligent management, floor eggs can often be reduced to very low levels or eliminated entirely. Many experienced backyard keepers report very few floor eggs through consistent application of best practices.

However, it's also important to recognise that some level of floor eggs may be unavoidable in certain situations. You'll need to weigh the time and effort of intensive management against the inconvenience of collecting a few floor eggs.

Preventing floor eggs requires a holistic approach, starting with how you raise your chicks and pullets and continuing through their entire laying life. By understanding hen behaviour and implementing proven management strategies as I’ve detailed here, most backyard chicken keepers can dramatically reduce or eliminate this sometimes challenging issue. 

While it does require some time and good management, particularly during the orientation period, the payoff in improved egg quality, reduced mess and happier hens makes it well worth the effort. With patience and persistence, you can keep your hens laying where they should - in those nest boxes!

Remember, caring for chickens is as much an art as it is a science. Don't be discouraged if you don't solve the problem immediately. Keep observing, adjusting and enjoying the journey of backyard chicken-keeping. Before you know it, you'll be an expert at managing your flock's laying habits!