Do most/all layers, who are allowed to free range, eventually relapse to egg-hiding?

[sophiehatter1057]

I got some very helpful suggestions last week for curbing nest hiding, and have been able to make necessary arrangements to keep my layers confined and close to nesting boxes at all times. We're almost a week into training and all (who are currently at point of lay) are laying consistently in the boxes.

My question is: if I let them return to foraging all over the yard (after nesting box habits are well established) will they eventually go back to egg hiding in various places? If so, how soon does that behaviour typically pop up again?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I have only had egg-hiding be an issue when I had a free range chicken trying to brood. Currently my free range flock lays in their nesting box or in a trough in the barn. It’s possible they’re hiding something somewhere I haven’t found but they lay different colored eggs so I’m fairly confident they are laying in those two places only.

 

[Mrs. K]

Not now, if you are like me headed into winter. Next spring, a very high probability. Not just with free ranging flocks either. Sometime a nest can be hidden in plain sight!

Any time you get a sudden egg count drop - almost always it is a hidden nest.

Mrs K