If you’ve ever found eggs in odd places around your coop or yard, you know how frustrating it can be when your hens refuse to use the beautiful nesting boxes you’ve set up. But before you start rearranging your coop or chasing rogue hens, consider a more natural, gentle approach: herbs.

Nesting Box Herbs-Our #1 Best Seller!

Over my 27 years of keeping backyard chickens, I’ve discovered that encouraging hens to lay where you want them to lay isn’t just about structure—it’s about creating an inviting space that feels safe, cozy, and calm. Herbs can play a huge role in this.

Let’s dive into how you can encourage your hens to use nesting boxes with herbs, the best herbs to use, and how to use them effectively in your coop.

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Why Hens Avoid Nesting Boxes

Before we talk about solutions, let’s briefly understand the problem. Hens might avoid nesting boxes for several reasons:

• They don’t feel safe or calm
• The boxes are dirty or smelly
• There’s too much noise or disruption nearby
• The box doesn’t feel cozy or appealing

Herbs help address all of these issues naturally. Let’s break it down.

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Best Herbs to Encourage Nesting in Chickens

Certain herbs are especially effective at making nesting boxes more attractive and comfortable. Here are some of the top herbs I’ve used in my own coop:

1. Lavender – Naturally calming and aromatic, it helps hens feel secure and less stressed.
2. Chamomile – Known for its calming effects and mild scent, great for nesting comfort.
3. Peppermint – Refreshing and energizing; also helps deter pests.
4. Marjoram – A calming herb that can also aid respiratory health.
5. Parsley – High in nutrients and offers a light, pleasant scent.
6. Rosemary – Strong-scented and a known insect repellent; adds a clean, sharp scent to nesting areas.
7. Dandelion Leaf – Full of nutrients and beneficial for digestion.
8. Fennel Seed – Supports laying and digestive health.
9. Calendula (Marigold) – Bright, cheerful petals with antibacterial properties and calming vibes.

When blended together, these herbs don’t just smell amazing—they create a relaxing environment that encourages hens to settle into the nesting box and stay there to lay.

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How to Use Herbs in Your Nesting Boxes

You don’t need to go overboard—a little goes a long way! Here’s how to apply herbs effectively:

1. Mix herbs into nesting material

• Add a handful of dried herbs into your nesting material like straw, pine shavings, or hemp bedding.
• Mix it in gently so the aroma spreads throughout the box.
• The scent alone can make the nesting space more inviting.

2. Refresh regularly

• Replace herbs weekly or whenever you clean the nesting boxes.
• Fresh herbs keep the space aromatic, clean, and pest-repellent.
• Regularly refreshed herbs maintain a calm, inviting environment.

Nesting Box Herbs-Our #1 Best Seller!

3. Let your hens explore

• Scatter herbs near the entrance of the nesting boxes.
• This piques curiosity and encourages hens to check out the space.
• Once they discover how cozy it is, they’ll likely keep returning.

4. Combine with consistent nesting box placement

• Keep nesting boxes in a shaded, low-traffic, quiet spot in the coop.
• Avoid moving boxes around frequently, which can confuse hens.
• Calm and consistency, enhanced by herbs, promote regular nesting habits.

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For a more detailed, Step-by-Step, explanation of how to use Nesting Box herbs inside your Nesting Boxes, read my article below!

Additional Tips to Keep Hens Laying in Nesting Boxes

Herbs are powerful, but they work best when used as part of an overall strategy. Here are a few extra tricks I’ve used in my own flock:

• Use fake eggs or golf balls to signal to hens that “this is a safe spot to lay.”
• Ensure privacy by placing boxes in darker, quieter corners of the coop.
• Provide enough boxes—at least one for every 3–4 hens.
• Keep boxes clean and dry to avoid deterring hens.

Herbs help support all these goals by adding comfort, calm, and cleanliness.

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Why This Natural Approach Works

Chickens are instinctive creatures. They look for quiet, clean, hidden spots to lay. By using herbs that calm their nerves and create a peaceful, fresh-smelling environment, you’re speaking directly to their instincts. And that means fewer eggs laid in corners, on coop floors, or under bushes—and more eggs in their proper place.

I’ve had hens that completely stopped using their boxes during stressful seasons (like heat waves or when new flock members are introduced). But once I reintroduced a blend of calming and aromatic herbs into their nests, they returned—sometimes within hours. It really does make a difference!

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Final Thoughts: Give Your Girls the Best

Adding herbs to your nesting boxes is a simple, affordable, and natural way to encourage better egg-laying habits. It’s a coop upgrade that smells amazing, looks beautiful, and helps your hens feel secure and happy.

And happy hens = more eggs in the nest box.

If you want to try this approach, check out my handcrafted blend of Nesting Box Herbs for Chickens, made from the same 9 herbs I’ve trusted in my coop for years. Your hens will love it—and you’ll love not having to go egg hunting.

Shop Now – Nesting Box Herbs for Chickens