Yes I had a similar experience with a Fall Fire. I stopped wing clipping and the birds for the most part stayed in the goat lot unless a rogue hen flew out to lay an egg in a nest over the bank. The toms all stay in because I figured they were too heavy to fly much. One day something spooked the flock and the Fall Fire tom flew from where he was standing and right over my head and out. It was pretty impressive. He looked just as shocked as I was when he finally landed. lol
I found I only had to wing clip once. After their feathers grew back, they had forgotten they knew how to fly.
Yes that works on most of them. A couple are too smart for their own good. Like the Tri Color Mottled Chocolate hen, Brownie. She flies in and out daily to go lay her eggs. I think Stinky eats most weed eggs she finds. I just let them do their thing, as they don't wander. And Stinky keeps any Wilds away so no one is luring them off anywhere. She typically flies right back into the goat lot once she lays her egg or stands by the gate until my husband lets her back in. I've noticed they like sticking with the original group of birds they were raised with, so she likes being with her sisters, Hershey and Blackie (my son helps name them). Hershey and Blackie are too heavy to fly out it seems as their father was a Grizzled and their mother was a Grizzled cross, so the broad breasted genes are stronger in them. Brownie is from the same parents and is leaner and much flightier like a typical Heritage. lol
I have found a couple under where they roost. Not broken but in the poop. Last night three hens were pushing each other and I heard a splat. It didn't land in the poop and broke.
Are they from your younger hens? I have had a couple young to lay eggs while on the roost like that. I guess it takes them a while to figure out what’s going on.
I think the splat eggs are from last year Jenny.
