Housing and Laying advice for a novice

Can you put up a photo of your coop? That way we can see whats happening.

Hi Gerty33, why don't you pop over to the welcome section a introduce yourself   We're all very friendly and don't bite 

If this is the coop then it should plenty big for two chickens.

You should discourage the hens from sleeping in the nesting boxes.  Try blocking them off or filling them up with a shoebox or similar on an evening so they can't get in.  this will prevent the litter in the nest boxes from becoming soiled overnight.

The nesting box showin in the advert is very adequate for  a couple of pullets - you would be amazed into what kind of spaces a hen will go into to lay, given the chance!

If they are only just coming into lay, pullets often have a few glitches in the egg laying mechanics, which can mean small, or mis shapen eggs, and eggs with a soft or absent shell are not uncommon.  Soft or shell less eggs are very delicate, and will often break as they are layed.  As eggs are high in protein, and to deter predators hens will naturally clean up this mess.  Egg eating is not a problem unless the hen is actively pecking holes in normal eggs to get at the contents.

You say that you think the hens sleep in the nest boxes because it is dark and away from the door.  I just want to check that you are closing the coop door up on a night (sorry if this is stating the obvious!)  If, when you close up the coop, you see the hens in the nest box, you can gently shoo them out and then block off the boxes (pick out any poo at this point - it will save you from doing it in the morning).  At night, the hens will (generally) be docile, and should perch on the roosting bars naturally.

If you only have the singe section run (1m) then it is a bit small for two hens.  Though if you can purchase an extension (or build one) an extra 2 linear metres will be fine (if the run is a metre wide).

Good luck with your new chickens, and welcome to the henhouse