Can I have free range eggs... and eat them too? :)

[Bogtown Chick]

Mine usually go back to their nesting boxes to lay. When they first started laying, I just kept them in the coop until their laying in the boxes had been established. Now I am keeping them more protected in the back yard after losing several so they can't get back to the coop on their own, so I keep them in the coop until they are finished laying. If they are cycling to a point where they are laying later in the day, I let them out early and put them back up at lunch time. If they talk me into letting them out without having laid yet, I listen for them. If a hen is upset because she can't get to her box, she lets me know she is upset and I go carry her back to the coop. My husband says they are spoiled and have me trained well.

I think this is exactly what is happening with us. We locked up two this late morning today in the coop. They did nothing. We let them out late morning and they came up the hill and used another box I just keep out for "Free Range Laying" All weekend long and part of this morning I was catering and carrying hens to nesting boxes. LOL. But they're so cute and I was willing to help of course. Pure entertainment.