Black Australorp Laying eggs in my yard and not in coop?

[OL'McAlishia]

I recently purchased 2 barred rock pullets (which turned out to be cuckoo maran) and 2 Black Australorp pullets, that are 5 months old approx, The other day I found my first egg in the yard (light brown, so from the Australorp) my question is why is she laying in the yard during the day instead of laying in the nesting boxes in the coop at night? I am new to chickens but thought they always laid in their hen house? My 4 big girls free range all day while the littler chickens are in coop. Is it possible the big girls just need a place of their own off the pen to go and lay or will she always lay eggs around the yard?!

The others do not seem to be laying... but Australorps mature faster but other one isn't laying or is doing a darn good job of hiding hers!

 

[Judy]

They don't lay at night and you won't want them in the nesting boxes at night. You need to do some reading on this site -- go to index and look around.

 

[loverOFchickens]

OK here are some suggestions.

+Put golfballs (or a similar round object like painted stones) in the nest boxes to encourage laying in the RIGHT place.

+Laying is influenced by light thus chickens lay less in the winter and (almost) never at night. Make sure the girls have acess to the coop nesting boxes all day long.

+I find that there is always at least one ornery one who doesn't lay in the right place no matter how much you encourage them. Usually as they get older they get more consistent. Eventually you will find the eggs in the same spot every day. I find that if the birds don't see me get the eggs they will continue to lay more regularly (or maybe it's my imagination).