I like to let my chickens out into the run every day but it is not attached to the coop yet so once they are in, they are in. I can't always wait until they lay their eggs to let them into the run because I have to leave for the day. I noticed that on the days when I put them in the run early, they don't lay. If they are in the coop, they lay almost every day. One in particular just will not lay an egg if she is in the run too early. There is a nest box in the run with a wooden egg in it but they ignore it. So basically I guess, can a hen really just hold it in?
Interesting. Tonight I came home and saw one of the hens making a huge racket pacing in front of the door to the run. I let her out and she ran for the coop and went straight into the egg box. It was 8 at night! I hope they get comfy laying in the run soon because I don't want to keep them in the coop all day!
They feel the coop's nest is "safe" for their eggs. Is there a way you can make the nest in the run more like the coop's nest? And put a golf ball in it, so they get the idea someone else is laying there, too. ETA: I see you have a wood egg in the run nest. Can you put the run's nest at the same "height" as the coop's nest? Try to make it as snug, dark, secure and "safe" as the coop's nest. Otherwise, they may be feeling vulnerable about laying in the run. For a hen, after all, the egg is a potential baby chick.
Yes, they can. Ours are also very particular about which nest box they use, even though the nest boxes are identical except in location. We've gotten to watch the actual laying of the egg, right as it comes out, several times because of this. Fascinating!
