Busted! Found the secret nest.

[ccstarbuckle]

So, I thought our chickens had stopped laying eggs over the last 2 weeks because they had been pigging out on all the raspberries and blackberries in their yard. But yesterday when I thought our lemon amerucana was stuck and wedged into a bramble, she had left by the time I got back with my clippers and found this! lol

So I have a couple questions!

1) why would they decide to start laying outside instead of their nest in their coop?

2) we have 3 chickens, they haven't been laying in their coop nest for about 2 weeks. I found 15 eggs here. So did they all make their own individual secret nests? Do they tend to lay together in one nest if they leave their coop laying box? Or is this normal? I still have about 30 more eggs to find...oye!

3) if a hatch of eggs have been sitting out for 2 weeks, are they still edible? They've been in the shade and well hidden but it's been on average 85 degrees give or take.

4) And last but not least! How do I get them back to laying in their coop!? They free range year round. If they're left in their coop past 7 am in the morning, they make such a racket, I'm afraid we're going to get kicked out of the neighborhood! (we're urban and have a permit, but still! lol) Those girls are just so zany! haha Thanks for all and any input y'all may have!

 

[Majd]

Always used to fing piles of eggs hidden in much harder to reach places than this..
There is no specific reason why they decided to lay outside... in my experience... because they free range year round too.... I think their inner natural instincts are motivated... and search for a natural spot... not to lay in the stupid human made boxes .... you may not find another nest... as they might not lay every single day.... maybe 3 eggs a week per bird?? But to quickly know if more a lre hidden.. watch them in the laying time of the day and see where they go and hide... I think they are still ok to eat so don't worry about that.... and for laying in the coop.... make them nice comfortable nests full of nesting material like the grass in the pic and put fake eggs in there... they will get used to it by time... and try locking them in the coop for a day or tow on a row... and see how things go... and for neighbors.... ask for excuse and explain the situation and it's onpy for tow days...

 

[ccstarbuckle]

Hahaha...natural instincts..right? I would try to hide them from me too! It's so odd though because MingMing, the one that gave the nest away has like, a blow horn when she lays an egg in the coop (and I agree about the big nasty human boxes! Lol). But she'd go on FOREVER! And since she went au naturale, I haven't heard a peep. It's so wild! And yeah, that pick was after I finally got threw the brambles. They've all been going strong at about 5-7 eggs a week each. They're just over a year old. I know that our welsummer has her own nest because her eggs are jumbo and freckled and I've been poking around for a few days to no avail. But now you're making me wonder how creative these girls are capable of getting! Looks like I'm on early duty stakeout tomorrow morning. Love how often I've actually had to do real egg hunting as an adult these last few months.. It cracks me up! (No pun intended)

 

[Alex15]

Wow that is sooo many eggs! How cute and ridiculous of your chickens! I have no valid input, but chickens are such zany creatures! Goodluck with your adult egg hunt!!!

 

[Majd]

Hahaha...natural instincts..right? I would try to hide them from me too! It's so odd though because MingMing, the one that gave the nest away has like, a blow horn when she lays an egg in the coop (and I agree about the big nasty human boxes! Lol). But she'd go on FOREVER! And since she went au naturale, I haven't heard a peep. It's so wild! And yeah, that pick was after I finally got threw the brambles. They've all been going strong at about 5-7 eggs a week each. They're just over a year old. I know that our welsummer has her own nest because her eggs are jumbo and freckled and I've been poking around for a few days to no avail. But now you're making me wonder how creative these girls are capable of getting! Looks like I'm on early duty stakeout tomorrow morning. Love how often I've actually had to do real egg hunting as an adult these last few months.. It cracks me up! (No pun intended)

Lol... that's gonna be fun.... keel us updated if you find anything. .. ... actually we often had chickens who disappeared for a while (we think something got them) amd then they appear with a bunch of chicks at least 15 chicks....they're soo wild... lol... country girls...

 

[buttercup95]

I used to have this happen all of the time! omg I thought it was just me.

 

[theoldchick]