[Bruced]

Hurrah! First egg today! Boo! Laid in run (but miraculously unbroken - must have been an interlude from destroying the garden and cr@pping all over the patio)... Any suggestions as to how to encourage laying in the nesting box? The nesting box is to one side of the coop, a few inches off the floor with a rail. Its around 12" deep and high but is a couple of feet wide - they don;t have a problem getting in - often one or two will have a sit in there when it rains. It's currently got aubiose (like hemcore) in there rather than straw - would that cause an issue? Thanks for all the help in advance!

[joyfull]

Try putting a rubber or pot egg in there - a golf ball will also work, they may just need showing where to lay. Congrats on your first egg though, smashing feeling isn't it  , be the best egg you've ever tasted.

[Bruced]

I'm looking forward to it, even if Mrs Bruce is a bit funny about the whole soft(ish) shell thing. Is that normal for a first egg btw - they have grit / oyster shell on tap...

[joyfull]

Think so, she just has to get into the swing of things 

[jaws]

A pot egg worked for mine. If you have trouble finding pot eggs (I did) ask at the counter as they may be out of the way not being an every day item. Horsey/farmy type suppliers seem better than cat/dog boutique type shops
I am thinking of trying a golf ball in the other nesting box - if I can find where the dog has hiden them

[tiptopchickendon]

A pot egg worked for mine. If you have trouble finding pot eggs (I did) ask at the counter as they may be out of the way not being an every day item. Horsey/farmy type suppliers seem better than cat/dog boutique type shops
I am thinking of trying a golf ball in the other nesting box - if I can find where the dog has hiden them

Golf balls worked for me, now the girls wont go into the nest boxes without a golf ball being there...and go off into the hedgerow to lay...dumb birds...