20 week old 15 bird flock layin in the woods

[smithshyre]

long time reader first time poster.

hi all i have a quick question for you. Im from the thesmithshyre.com

We have a 20 week old flock of egg layers, 3 breeds. They just started laying and giving the egg song. I have been wondering if the egg song was just pratice or real deal so i sniffed out some nests int he woods near the coop n veggie garden. I have found 10 eggs so far 6 out doors 4 in coop.

so on the advice of another BYC members I have been locking my flock in during the day until 1pm or 3pm ish. (previously they had been let out at 6:30 or 7 am.) On the 1st day we got two new eggs in coop and found a nest of 5 in the bushes; after i investigated an egg song from the woods, once i let them out. on the 2nd day of this they laid no eggs and no egg song from the woods once i let them out either. As of 12pm today still no egg songs from the coop where they r all locked up.

Is this practice risking a bound egg?

Thanks for your help.

Erin of the Smityhshyre

 

[DanEP]

At 20 weeks their laying is going to on and off so don't worry about a missed day here and there also if their mad about the change in free ranging it can effect their laying for a while. Your problem right now is the laying in the woods. I've had the same problem and don't enjoy having to look for eggs so I just left them locked up till a couple of hours before dark every day till every body was laying in the coop and then started letting them out a little earlier each day as long as they continued to lay in the coop. If they start laying in the woods again lock them up again and start over.Once they get in the habit of laying in the nest boxes they usually will continue to lay there.All tho I did have 1 bo that would lay in the coop only if she couldn't get in my shop to lay behind the air compressor. The main thing is to to train them now as older hens can be harder to break of bad habits.

 

[donrae]

You might upset them a little but won't physically hurt them. I'd leave them cooped for a few days to reset their little brains on where you want them to lay.