Egg laying outside

[riversedgefarms]

since it's been nice we've been letting our chickens out earlier in the day. They have the nesting boxing in the coop and some go back in to lay. However some just find a random spot outside and lay the eggs there. Is there a way to prevent that from happening as we don't know where they are laid?

 

[El Rancherito]

since it's been nice we've been letting our chickens out earlier in the day. They have the nesting boxing in the coop and some go back in to lay. However some just find a random spot outside and lay the eggs there. Is there a way to prevent that from happening as we don't know where they are laid?

One of my chickens did that for a while. The same spot every time so I put her eggs in the nest and left them there for a day. That way she would learn to lay in her nest. She hasn't looked for another place ever since.

 

[WesleyBeal]

Are you using nest eggs? (Fake eggs in the nest) That might help.

I let mine free range, and have been pleased to not find (yet) instances of them laying outside. It's a risk, of course.

 

[bobbi-j]

You may need to lock them up for a few days to retrain them to lay in the nest box.

 

[riversedgefarms]

I keep golf balls in the nesting boxes as we were having trouble with them cracking eggs but I don't have actual fake eggs.
We have also tried keeping them in the coop but it doesn't make a difference. As soon as they get back to going outside it starts again.

 

[aart]

since it's been nice we've been letting our chickens out earlier in the day. They have the nesting boxing in the coop and some go back in to lay. However some just find a random spot outside and lay the eggs there. Is there a way to prevent that from happening as we don't know where they are laid?

How long after you started giving them more free range time did they start laying outside of the coop?

How long do you keep them locked in the coop/run?
It can take a good week or more to 're-home' them to laying in coop.

How many nests for how many birds.....and how big is coop in feet by feet??
You maybe be dealing with some crowding issues.