Chicken laying eggs on the ground

[Ojwilli18]

So one of my chickens that is about 5 months old has began to lay, but for some reason she is laying outside on the ground instead of in the coop. I am located in Michigan and it is fairly cold here, so we weren't expecting her to lay until about 6 months old and definitely not until warmer months so the coop is large, but doesn't have any nest boxes yet. She is also the only chicken who INSISTANTLY jumps on to the fence and over it to escape the free ranging area we have for them. Today I found her about a block away from our house, and once I put her back in the fenced area she continued to dart back and forth against the fence and jumped up and over again, once I put her back she then, while trying to get out, laid an egg while walking, looked at it, and stopped trying to get out of the yard?! Does this mean she is trying to find somewhere to lay? is she broody? She is a Plymouth Blue Rock and is apart of a flock of one 5 month old female Khaki Campbell, Isa Brown hen, Rhode Island Red hen, and one 2 year old hybrid hen. They all get along fine and have plenty of space, I just don't know what else to do I don't want her to get hurt traveling so far from home!

 

[nuthatched]

Are you against clipping her wings? (not pinioning). looks like you need some next boxes, I think.

 

[SueT]

You need nest boxes now. If nothing more, get a plastic milk crate for her and set it on the floor of the coop with fake eggs in it. Make sure it isn't tippy.
You can clip wing feathers and maybe keep her in the run.

 

[Ojwilli18]

You need nest boxes now. If nothing more, get a plastic milk crate for her and set it on the floor of the coop with fake eggs in it. Make sure it isn't tippy.
You can clip wing feathers and maybe keep her in the run.

Will I have to keep her in the run forever? And I don't know how to clip wing feathers, people do that themselves? I just don't get why out of all the birds she is the only one who continues to jump the fence every day even when being put back.

 

[SueT]

Here's a thread describing wing clipping in detail. The thread starter has a how-to video on the 2nd page.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...n-containment-with-perimeter-fencing.1261276/

 

[rosemarythyme]

You needed nest boxes yesterday, so get cracking on those ASAP.

Did she start her escape attempts after she started laying? She could possibly be sort of thinking about being broody and trying to get back to the spot she likes.

How tall is your fence and what type of fence is it? Clipping may or may not work if the fence is pretty low and she can just vault over it or climb onto items to vault over.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I agree, it sounds like she's hopping the fence looking for a spot to lay her egg. You can make a nest box out of really anything.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Agree with everyone ... You needed a nest box yesterday. She's probably looking for some place to lay. Depending on the breeds, I always add a nest box a month before I expect laying to happen. I really would consider putting a top on your run, alot safer from predators and escapes.

 

[Ojwilli18]

You needed nest boxes yesterday, so get cracking on those ASAP.

Did she start her escape attempts after she started laying? She could possibly be sort of thinking about being broody and trying to get back to the spot she likes.

How tall is your fence and what type of fence is it? Clipping may or may not work if the fence is pretty low and she can just vault over it or climb onto items to vault over.

I put an egg crate in the same day nd she lays her eggs in it now nd has stopped escaping. Thank you though.