[debih]

They (four of them) have always laid in their nest box until the weekend. 

On Sunday we took their house to pieces to clean it as we had red mite and left it closed so that they couldn't go in whilst it was drying.  They laid their eggs not far from the house that day.

Since then one has laid in the nest box but the others are not.  Whilst I now know where they are laying it is in the most awkward of places - top of a steep bank, under a bush.  It is fine for us to scramble up there to collect the eggs but next week we are going away for a few days and our neighbour is looking after them.  Somehow I can't see our 82 year old neighbour scrambling up a bank to collect the eggs.

Is there any way I can encourage them to lay in the nest boxes again.

Also, since using the spray and powder for red mite the house still has a slight smell to it - nothing too overpowering and not particularly unpleasant but do you think that has a bearing on the chickens not laying in there?

[Helenaj]

It could be as they have very sensitive noses. Maybe the coop hasn't aired fully yet and needs a couple more hours to dry out.

As for the laying on top of a bank, is there any way you can block access? The only other soloution is to keep them penned in until they have laid, but could be awkward if they are not all laying in the morning.

[debih]

Thanks.

I will open the larger back door to get some air flow through it.  I finish work today for the next two weeks and we aren't going away until next Thursday so I will start to let them out a little later in the mornings for a few days (they are all morning layers - usually having laid by 11am) to see if that encourages them to lay in the nest box.   And I will try blocking off the area that they are currently laying in (easier said that done unfortunately).

And failing that, I will just tell our neighbour to leave the eggs and we will gather them when we get back - we are only away for four days.  Or she can always ask another neighbour to send his son up there for them.

[Lindeggs]

I agree about confining them until they have laid.  Also you could put something in the nest boxes like a golf ball or a fake egg so they know that is where they are meant to lay.

When you put everything back after cleaning, did you put it all in the same place and use the same type of bedding material they had before?  If you can make everything as familiar as possible that might help them get back into their old habits.