Chickens about to lay, but hangout in the barn and not coop

[Peckerheads570]

Hi all, Im new here and I did a search but wasn't finding the answers I have so I apologize if this is in the wrong catagory.

We have 3 Australorps, 3 buffs and 6 Bielefelders that are 19 weeks. We have a 10x10 coop with a run but we let them free range from morning until night.

The problem is that as soon as they come out of the coop in the morning they run right to the cow barn and hang out in there most of the day no matter what the whether is like.

We have 4 nest boxes in the coop as pictured but I'm afraid they will start laying anywhere in the cow barn instead of their boxes in the coop.

Should I prevent them from entering the barn and keep them in the run until they learn where to lay? The australorps are definitely very very close! Squatting and they have super red combs. We're going to get a roof on the run this weekend.

Thanks for your input!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Have you seen them in the nests at all (i.e. bedding or fake eggs being kicked around)?

They may or may not return to the coop to lay - especially at onset, they may end up laying in random places. If it does become an issue locking them into their run should help with that, and once they're laying reliably in the nests, you can give them free range access again.

 

[Peckerheads570]

Have you seen them in the nests at all (i.e. bedding or fake eggs being kicked around)?

They may or may not return to the coop to lay - especially at onset, they may end up laying in random places. If it does become an issue locking them into their run should help with that, and once they're laying reliably in the nests, you can give them free range access again.

I haven't seen them in the nests yet. Once they leave the coop at 7am they stay out of it until bed time. I think we're going to have to fence off that barn

 

[aart]

Yes, you're probably going to have to confine them once they start laying.

Does your run have a roof, so they can't fly out?

 

[Peckerheads570]

No roof yet but we're going to put one on this weekend.

Another thing that makes me wonder is I've read that hens need 12 hours of day light to lay. They are in a dark barn most of the day lol sooo I'm going to get them in the run this weekend.

They are gonna hate me for it after being free range for months but I'll have to make up for it with a lot of mealworms

 

[aart]

They are gonna hate me for it after being free range for months but I'll have to make up for it with a lot of mealworms

Nah...just make sure you provide shade and some 'enrichments' like these:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

They might like the barn because it's cooler in there?

Oh, and.... Welcome to BYC! @Peckerheads570
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[Peckerheads570]

Thank you for the tips and the welcome! I will definitely work on that. I am in Northeast PA

 

[Borders3]

Let them out a couple of hours later. We have a barn with cattle in and ours spend most of the day in there as well, there are plenty of grubs in the cow muck to grub up plus the food overspill from the cattle. Once they are laying in the nest boxes they will come back to them to lay. It's getting them started is the hard part.

 

[1crazy4chickens]

putting some fake eggs in your nesting boxes may "entice" them to use them.

 

[Chickenma2021]

My 2 Oldest hens didn't lay in the laying boxes for a couple of days. I stopped letting them free range for a bit and put there previously laid eggs in the laying box. After a couple of days I removed the eggs every morning and they still know where to lay. Good luck!