I'll take one of your questions.

Do you have nest boxes in a coop? The way a lot of folks (myself included,) have "trained" chickens is to keep them confined to the coop until they are used to laying in the nest box. The chickens will naturally seek a quiet, private area, usually out of direct sunlight to lay eggs if available. Your nest boxes should should offer these amenities. Once the birds are used to laying in the nests, they will usually return to the coop during their daily outings to lay.

How old are these hens. Getting them used to the nest boxes is easier when they are first starting to lay. If they have been laying all over the yard for a while, breaking them of bad habits may be more difficult.

I'd start by confining them to quarters for a while. Put an egg or two (or even golf balls) in the nests to give them an idea of what the nests are for.

Wayne

Thanks Wayne,

I got one hen that has always been laying sence we got her, and another that when we bought it we thought it was a rooster. LOL And the other two have just started laying and we got them when they where about a month old...

My dad and i buit the coop there are four boxes two facing the wall and all five of them fit in the upper ones. And our duck who has his own cage sleeps in the bottom box.

- Natalie