If you’ve set up a rollaway nest box and only one or two of your hens are actually using it, take a breath — you haven’t wasted your money, and there’s almost certainly nothing wrong with the box. Hens are creatures of habit, and getting a whole flock to take to a new nest box is a training process. The good news: it’s a well-worn path, and with a few simple tweaks most keepers have their flock rolling eggs into the tray within a couple of weeks.
We build these boxes ourselves here in Ohio and keep chickens too, so we hear this from time to time — and nine times out of ten it comes down to the handful of easy fixes below. Here’s exactly what we’d do.
Why won’t my hens use the rollaway nest box?
Before the fixes, it helps to understand why a hen ignores a perfectly good box. It’s rarely the box itself — it’s almost always one of these:
- There’s no soft bedding. A rollaway box has a bare, gently sloped floor on purpose, so eggs roll away clean. Hens are wired to seek out a soft, cushioned nest, so a bare floor can feel unfamiliar at first.
- They’ve already picked a favorite spot. Hens love to lay where they (or another hen) have laid before. If they’ve been using a corner, a bucket, or the coop floor, that habit competes with the new box.
- It’s too bright or too exposed. Hens want a dark, private, secure place to lay. A box in a busy, well-lit part of the coop often gets skipped.
- The placement or height is off. Boxes that sit too high, too low, or right next to the roosts can throw off where hens choose to lay.
- Your pullets simply aren’t laying yet. If you raised them from chicks, the birds “ignoring” the box may just not be in lay yet. They’ll come around as they mature.
How to get your hens to use a rollaway nest box (7 steps)
Work through these in order. You usually don’t need all seven — the first three solve most cases.
- Put a few decoy eggs in the box. Drop two or three ceramic eggs, wooden eggs, or even golf balls into the nest. A “starter” egg tells a hen this is a safe, approved place to lay — it’s the single most effective trick there is.
- Block off every other laying spot. Walk your coop and run and close off the floor corners, hay piles, buckets, and any old nest boxes. Make the rollaway box the most appealing option left. This one change alone often flips a stubborn flock.
- Soften the nest at first. During the transition, lay the included nest mat or pad in the box so it feels inviting — eggs still roll on the mat. Once your hens are reliably using the box, you can keep just the mat for a clean, low-maintenance nest.
- Make it dark and private. Add nest curtains (a simple strip of fabric over the opening) or move the box to the dimmest, quietest corner of the coop. Darkness tells a hen it’s safe to lay here.
- Get the placement right. Set the box in a low-traffic corner, lower than the roosting bars (so hens don’t sleep in it), and at a height your birds can step into easily. If yours is reversible, face the tray whichever way makes collection easiest for you.
- Guide them in the morning. Most hens lay within a few hours of sunrise, so for the first week or two it helps to keep the flock shut in the coop until mid-morning rather than letting them out right away. With no hidden outdoor spots to use, the nest box becomes the natural choice — then let them out as usual once they’ve laid.
- Be patient and consistent. Hens learn by copying each other. Once one or two reliably use the box, the rest usually follow within days. Give the whole process two to three weeks before judging it, and don’t undo your changes too soon.
What it looks like when it’s working: every egg rolled clean into the protected tray. Tap any photo to enlarge.
Troubleshooting common problems
“They’re still laying on the floor”
This is almost always an open laying spot or a missing decoy egg. Tighten up steps 1 and 2 — block the floor spot completely and add a ceramic egg to the box. Collect floor eggs promptly so the spot doesn’t get “marked” as a nest.
“Only my older hens use the box”
Perfectly normal. Experienced layers adopt a new box faster; pullets coming into lay need time and often copy the older hens. Keep the decoy eggs in and give it a couple of weeks.
“The eggs aren’t rolling away”
Check that the box is level side to side and the floor keeps its gentle slope toward the tray. And don’t pile in straw or shavings — too much bedding stops eggs from rolling. A thin mat is fine; a full nest is not.
“They’re sleeping (and pooping) in the box”
You don’t want hens roosting in the nest. Make sure your roosting bars are higher than the box, and block the box at night for a week to break the habit if needed.
How long does it take?
Most flocks adjust within one to three weeks once the steps above are in place. Birds raised with the box from chicks often adapt fastest — but even they need the other laying spots removed and a decoy egg to point the way. Not sure how many boxes your flock needs in the first place? See our guide on how many nesting boxes your flock needs.
Still stuck after a couple of weeks? It’s almost always a small setup tweak we can sort out together. Send us a photo of your coop and how the box is mounted, and we’ll give you specific suggestions — we want your box working for you. Email sa***@*****************ay.com.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my chickens to use a rollaway nest box?
Put a couple of decoy eggs (ceramic eggs or golf balls) in the box, block off every other laying spot so the box is the best option, and give it one to three weeks. Hens learn by habit and by copying each other, so once a few use it the rest usually follow.
Why is only one of my hens using the rollaway box?
Hens are creatures of habit and prefer to lay where they already have. The others are most likely using another spot in the coop. Block those spots, add a decoy egg to the box, and the rest of the flock typically comes around within a couple of weeks.
Do rollaway nest boxes need bedding?
No. The floor is left bare and gently sloped so eggs roll away clean. While you are training your hens you can add a thin nest mat or pad so the box feels inviting (eggs still roll), then keep just the mat for an easy, low-maintenance nest.
Can I put straw or hay in a rollaway nest box?
Only a very thin layer or a nest mat. A full bed of straw or shavings stops the eggs from rolling into the tray, which defeats the purpose. A thin liner during training is fine; a deep nest is not.
How long does it take for hens to start using a rollaway box?
Usually one to three weeks once you have added decoy eggs, blocked other laying spots, and made the box dark and private. Hens raised with the box from chicks often adapt fastest.
My chickens were raised with the box but still will not use it. Why?
Even birds raised with a rollaway box will lay elsewhere if there is a comfier or more familiar spot available. Remove competing laying spots, add a ceramic egg or two, and make sure the box is in a dark, quiet corner. If you are still stuck, email us a photo of your setup and we will help.