12 free range hens - 20 weeks - one's laying!

[aimeeinwv]

Should I keep them in the pen for now instead of turning them loose each morning? I turn them loose at 9-10 am and they range all day long. Since 1 has started laying, I am wondering if others are too... and just hiding them in the woods etc. Whoever is laying, has laid her 2 eggs in the nesting boxes so far! One yesterday, one today. I can pen them up until noon or so without making them too aweful mad. The pen is plenty big enough too. What do you think chicken experts? Thanks in advance!

 

[easttxchick]

I let my chickens out in the morning(free ranging) and when my one hen that is laying is ready to lay, she runs squawking back into the coop. Not to say your birds might not lay in the woods-I have seen plenty of posts on here of people finding the hen's "secret hiding place" with several eggs in it.

 

[lilmouthy]

If you are wanting them to lay only in their nest boxes,might be the best thing to keep the locked up for a while. But,even letting them out at 12 or so is not saying the won't lay some where else. My hens hardly ever lay before 2 PM. Mine free range and never lay in their nest boxes. Luckily,I have found all the hiding spots my chickens lay in,so every day I just go look in those spots. Maybe if once they all start laying,keep them locked up for several days? Don't know if that would work either though.

 

[cybercat]

Read my latest post on my chickens blog. mine free range all day today they are locked up. I found two good size nests and we still had chickens laying in nest boxes I even watched them do it. So those that are not are being retrained I hope today.