Egg hiding

[FlockAround-andFindOut]

Wondering if anyone else has this issue, has solved this issue... My birds free range daily, starting around lunchtime. Before that, they are in a coop/run. If I let my girls out at lunch time, I might not get all my eggs. I've noticed them going under my shed to lay eggs, going behind a box on my porch to lay eggs, etc. Mind you, I do get eggs from my early morning layers. So I'm guessing it's not a laying box issue(clean and plenty). Any tips, experiences, advice?

 

[nuthatched]

Lock them in your coop for a week.
Make sure your boxes are good size, private and cozy

 

[FlockAround-andFindOut]

Can we talk about private... I'll try to send pic of layout. I'm wondering if that's the issue. Would you recommend curtains or something like that?

I have a hard time leaving them locked in unless it's bad weather. They call to my heart

 

[nuthatched]

Can we talk about private... I'll try to send pic of layout. I'm wondering if that's the issue. Would you recommend curtains or something like that?

I have a hard time leaving them locked in unless it's bad weather. They call to my heart

Harden your heart.
They need to learn where to lay , other wise, the eggs are wasted.
I personally see curtains as dust collectors.

 

[FlockAround-andFindOut]

My boxes are a plenty(7 laying hens).

 

[townchicks]

Do you have fake eggs in the boxes? That can help. You also need to restrict access to the areas that they have been using. Block off under the shed. Chicken wire will suffice for that, as it's not a safety issue. Move the boxes on the porch. Make the nest boxes a better alternative to them.

 

[FlockAround-andFindOut]

Do you have fake eggs in the boxes? That can help. You also need to restrict access to the areas that they have been using. Block off under the shed. Chicken wire will suffice for that, as it's not a safety issue. Move the boxes on the porch. Make the nest boxes a better alternative to them.

Thank you everyone! I know it's common sense stuff sometimes. My brain is overworked and needed solutions.

 

[townchicks]

Thank you everyone! I know it's common sense stuff sometimes. My brain is overworked and needed solutions.

I feel you. So many times, someone suggests something, and I just have to smack my head and say Duh! That's why it takes a village.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are different triggers that tell a hen when to release a yolk to start making the next day's egg. It takes around 25 hours from yolk release until the egg is finished and laid. It's different for each hen, some less and some more. When those triggers are working correctly she only lays during daylight hours.

One of those triggers is when she lays her egg, the yolk release should soon follow if she is laying every day or several days in a row. It is fairly common when a hen is laying often for her to get an hour or so later every day until she skips a day. The majority should lay in the morning but it's not that unusual for me to get an egg laid late in the day.

By locking them in the coop/run until noon you should get a majority of the eggs but some will be laid after. A hen can delay laying an egg if she really wants to so if her nest is not in the coop/run she may hold it to lay it. As long as you let them out to range they can hide nests. I don't see any way around that.

But if they are hiding a nest you can maybe retrain them to lay in your nests. If you keep them locked in your coop/run they have to lay that egg so they may learn to lay in there instead of in the hidden nest. So if you can I'd try locking them in the coop/run area for at least a week or more to try to break that bad habit.

Good luck! This stuff can be frustrating.

 

[FlockAround-andFindOut]

There are different triggers that tell a hen when to release a yolk to start making the next day's egg. It takes around 25 hours from yolk release until the egg is finished and laid. It's different for each hen, some less and some more. When those triggers are working correctly she only lays during daylight hours.

One of those triggers is when she lays her egg, the yolk release should soon follow if she is laying every day or several days in a row. It is fairly common when a hen is laying often for her to get an hour or so later every day until she skips a day. The majority should lay in the morning but it's not that unusual for me to get an egg laid late in the day.

By locking them in the coop/run until noon you should get a majority of the eggs but some will be laid after. A hen can delay laying an egg if she really wants to so if her nest is not in the coop/run she may hold it to lay it. As long as you let them out to range they can hide nests. I don't see any way around that.

But if they are hiding a nest you can maybe retrain them to lay in your nests. If you keep them locked in your coop/run they have to lay that egg so they may learn to lay in there instead of in the hidden nest. So if you can I'd try locking them in the coop/run area for at least a week or more to try to break that bad habit.

Good luck! This stuff can be frustrating.

Thank you! I was wondering if they can withhold until they find the choice spot and if some lay later on in the day- but you scienced it right out for me! I appreciate that and am always surprised with how nature works.