Eggs everywhere

[Latestarter]

So you're saying I have to build a run that's 220 square feet?

Really and technically, you don't "need" to do anything. Major egg producers keep 2-4 birds in wire cages with LESS than 1 sq foot per bird, for up to 2 years and when they've passed their best laying and production drops, they are eliminated. Commonly called battery hens.

The chickens you buy at the grocery are kept in "houses" by the thousands, many with less than 1sqft per bird, but they are "designer" chickens that generally only live 6-8 weeks before being butchered. Designer meaning they are "meat birds" specifically bred to grow fast, put on lots of weight, FAST, and then they go to market.

Many here do buy meat birds for the freezer. Many keep them separated in chicken tractors. These can be moved daily or whenever while the birds grow out.

And most of us here keep chickens over many years time for their eggs and meat as well as companionship, entertainment and just the fun they provide. Some keep the meat birds right in with the rest, grow them out slower, and butcher them when they get to weight. Healthier for the birds and probably the consumers of them.

Many here consider their birds pets. "Ideally" the chickens require the space dictated to prevent overcrowding, disease, stress, feather picking, etc. As a general rule, the more chickens you have, the less space they need as most hang in groups, leaving "empty space" between each group. But still, there has to be the empty space for them all to move in and through. You do what you can do and shoot for the best.

 

[Gary palmer]

They lay allot in nesting boxes and a lot in the shed and another small mini coop I built when I brought in new chickens. That's all cool but some are all over the place especially after we had a raccoon eating all the eggs. Raccoon got put down 4 days ago

 

[Gary palmer]

They lay allot in nesting boxes and a lot in the shed and another small mini coop I built when I brought in new chickens. That's all cool but some are all over the place especially after we had a raccoon eating all the eggs. Raccoon got put down 4 days ago

 

[Gary palmer]

Well, I just hooked up another 12 square feet, so they're sitting at 100 square feet. I'll have to get more lumber tomorrow to add a full section to run

 

[Gary palmer]

Well, I just hooked up another 12 square feet, so they're sitting at 100 square feet. I'll have to get more lumber tomorrow to add a full section to run

 

[rebrascora]

Bear in mind that they will not take well to confinement when they have been used to free ranging and that will stress them. Stress can lead to behavioural issues like pecking and egg eating, particularly if space is limited. You might find that after training them, some still go back to secret nests after a while. What breeds do you have? Some are more creative about their nesting habits than others. I always found my leghorns were terrors for finding new and interesting places to lay which usually involved me tailing them and then getting ladders to find half a dozen eggs in a secret stash..... I once found a mountain of 47 eggs in the eves of an old stone stable that a mother and daughter tag team were responsible for. Thankfully it was winter and they were all still edible but it took me weeks of omelette eating to get through them all!!
Making your nest boxes more attractive may help a little. I find sneaky birds that lay away usually like dark enclosed nest boxes often high up or low down in a corner and curtains (pieces of old feed bag stapled across the top and hanging over the front) can make them more inviting and satisfy their need to lay in a "safe" place. Perhaps create some suitable nest boxes out where they range to encourage them to use those and save a trip back to the hen house. Again curtains or a screen across the front to make them dark improves their attractive. I used to play a game with my birds by placing an enclosed nest box somewhere in a quiet corner outside and see how long it took them to find it and use it. It's amazing how quickly they suss out these things even when they have so much ground to range on. You get to know what their preferences are if you watch them and choose locations similar to those they chose for themselves.
I hope you find a solution to your problem or that some of my suggestions help.

 

[Gary palmer]

Thanks so much for all the info