Where are they hiding their eggs!!??

[chicky_duck]

I have two 8-month-old hens who are the oldest in my flock (i'm new to chicken raising and the rest are still only 3-4 months) but recentally they've been laying there eggs in different spots than their coop. I was able to find the spot they were laying in and locked them in the coop during there laying hours so they would lay in the coop again. But a few days ago I stopped getting eggs from one of the hens, and today I didn't find any eggs. Could they be saving up for a clutch?

 

[chicky_duck]

Spring has just started where I live so idk if they follow normal bird habbits.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Are they free range or cooped?
If free ranged they could have a hidden nest. If cooped, check under bedding in the nest box, don't know how or why but have found when I'd miss eggs from new layers.

 

[chicky_duck]

We try to keep them in a 50x60-foot pen we set up, but they always get out. thx ill deffinetally check those places, the layers idea is new tho

 

[aart]

We try to keep them in a 50x60-foot pen we set up, but they always get out. thx ill deffinetally check those places, the layers idea is new tho

Fix it so they don't get out.
If they can get out, predators can probably get in.

 

[Ridgerunner]

But a few days ago I stopped getting eggs from one of the hens, and today I didn't find any eggs.

I don't know what your coop looks like but they are experts at hiding a nest in plain sight. They are also experts in crawling into tiny places to lay. When I was a kid growing up on the farm one of my chores was to gather the eggs. I found some nests in some places many people would not even think they could get into, let alone lay. I saw broody hens hatch eggs in some of those really strange places.

So where would I look if I were you? In coop corners, around waterers and feeders, under nests, any shelves including shelves up high. Basically under, behind, or over anything you have in there and all places in between.

Could they be saving up for a clutch?

That's basically what they are doing if they are laying in a nest anywhere, hidden or in one of your nests. That's their instinctive reaction, to make a nest. They are not going to stop laying and save the eggs inside themselves so they can lay them all at the same time if that is what you are asking.

 

[Mrs. K]

Mine go through spells - they will lay exactly where they are suppose to, and then stop. Any time, I go through an unexpected drop in eggs, it has always been a hidden nest.
Sometimes, I have had to go down with a thermos of coffee, and just wait for the egg song to find the nest.

As Ridgerunner states - it can be in what is an IMPOSSIBLE place for them to be, or completely HIDDEN in what really is plain sight.

And then, for no reason - they go back to laying where they are suppose to. Some times after I find the hidden nest I block it off so they can't get in there to lay. Sometimes I just let them lay there - after all I KNOW where that one is. And then one day they will quit it and go back to my nests.

Sometimes I think they are here just to drive me crazy.

Mrs K