Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays with plenty of joy and laughter. Now that we’re in the middle of winter, my hens have slowed down a bit in the egg-laying department, and I’m taking this time to retrain them to lay eggs in the nesting boxes. For some reason, my girls prefer laying eggs on the coop floor!
Honestly, it’s not a huge issue, but it would be nice to walk into the coop and find all the eggs in one spot for a change. My hens have gotten creative with their favorite egg-laying spots—sometimes in the food tray, sometimes random corners!
Why Aren’t My Chickens Laying in the Nesting Boxes?
You’re not alone if your hens are laying eggs outside the nesting boxes. I’ve had many people reach out with the same issue. Here are some reasons why your chickens might not be laying where you want them to:
Free-Range Chickens: If your hens are free-ranging, they may prefer laying eggs outside the coop. A good solution is to keep them “cooped up” until around noon. This gives them time to lay eggs inside before going out to roam.
Not Enough Nesting Boxes: A general rule of thumb is to have 1 nesting box for every 4 hens. If there aren’t enough boxes, they’ll find their own comfortable spots!
Dirty Nesting Boxes: Chickens like to lay in clean, dry spaces. Unfortunately, they also tend to poop in their nesting boxes. Make sure to refresh the bedding regularly. Products like Coop Recuperate can help keep the bedding clean and dry—just sprinkle it directly into the boxes!
Reba was a constant layer in the food for a while and she coaxed another gal to join her!
Don’t worry, I broke this little spot pretty quick simply by covering the food.
Tips to Encourage Chickens to Use Nesting Boxes
If you have plenty of nesting boxes but your girls still won’t use them, try these tips to help train them:
Use Fake Eggs: Placing a fake egg, golf ball or even an already laid egg in the nesting box can help encourage younger hens to lay there. They’ll follow what the other chickens are doing!
Cover Unwanted Spots: If your hens are laying in undesired spots (like the food tray!), simply cover those areas to break the habit. I’ve had success with this trick, and it’s worked well to redirect my girls back to their nesting boxes.
Consistency with Older Hens: Retraining older hens can be a bit more challenging since they’re set in their ways. But with patience, you can encourage them to return to the nesting boxes over time.
Boosting Egg Quality with Chicken E-lixir & Golden Graze
While I’m working on retraining my girls to lay eggs in the nesting boxes, I’m also thinking about the quality of the eggs they’re producing. Especially during winter, when egg-laying tends to slow down, I want to make sure that every egg is packed with nutrients. That’s where Chicken E-lixir and Golden Graze come in! These daily supplements provide essential vitamins and minerals to support hen health, contributing to stronger, healthier eggshells and vibrant yolks.
Here are a few benefits of using Chicken E-lixir and Golden Graze with your flock:
Enhanced Nutrient Profile: Both Chicken E-lixir and Golden Graze are rich in essential nutrients, ensuring that each egg your hens lay is packed with quality and flavor, perfect for those delicious, farm-fresh eggs.
Golden Yolks: Golden Graze contains marigold petals which add natural pigments that enhance yolk color, creating beautifully vibrant, golden yolks. This daily chicken treat also includes Omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed, offering a nutritious boost to your chickens and higher-quality eggs for your family.
Stronger Eggshells: Chicken E-lixir and Golden Graze each offer unique benefits for eggshell quality. Chicken E-lixir provides a premium calcium source to strengthen shells, while Golden Graze supplies oyster shells which also enhances shell durability. Both supplements help reduce breakage, ensuring your eggs make it safely to the table.
Immune Support: Chicken E-lixir boosts immunity, enhancing your flock’s resilience against seasonal stresses, which is essential for consistent egg-laying through the colder months—just make sure they’re also getting plenty of light!
Since I started using Chicken E-lixir and Golden Graze, I’ve noticed my girls’ eggs have firmer shells, richer yolks and improved quality in both cooking and baking. See below for the proof! If you’re looking to enhance egg quality, this powerful duo is worth a try!
My beautiful eggs from my girls after using Golden Graze and Chicken E-lixir!
My Laid-Back Approach to Egg Laying
I’ve learned to be pretty laid back about where my chickens lay their eggs. As long as they’re laying somewhere in the coop, I’m happy! But it would be nice to avoid a daily egg hunt. So, I’m trying to gently train them to use the nesting boxes again.
Hopefully, these tips will help you too if your flock is laying in odd places. At the end of the day, I’m just thankful for farm-fresh eggs!
Until next time,
–The Wing Lady
Chicken E-lixir - Daily Vitamin for Chickens Chicken E-lixir is added to drinking water as a daily vitamin for keeping chickens healthy by promoting digestive health. For everyday use, it contains a unique blend of organic oregano essential oil, prebiotics, calcium, vitamins D & E and electrolytes.
Golden Graze - For Quality Eggs & Golden Yolks
Golden Graze is a daily chicken snack that promotes quality eggs with golden yolks and Omega-3 fatty acids. It contains oregano essential oils, multi-grains, cracked corn, oyster shells, marigold petals and flaxseed. Treat your hens to this healthy snack and enjoy eggsellent eggs.