Free Range and Egg Laying in Coop

[maggievetsch]

My chickens have been outside in the coop and run for over 2 months now, closing in on 18 weeks. So we're getting excited/hopeful for our first eggs. However, after keeping them solely in their coop/run for the first 3 weeks to ensure they knew it was "home" they now free range and as their space is directly on the wood line of our property that's where they choose to laze around day in and day out, always returning at night. My concern is that when it comes time for egg laying they will start to do so out there rather than in their nesting boxes.

We keep the coop windows and even door open all day to keep proper ventilation and air flow to give them a comfortable temp for egg laying, but obviously the woods are even cooler and quieter.

Just wondering if any others have the same story and found their girls figured it out as they tend to do with most other things.

 

[WhiteCollarWeezy]

Sneaky girls...from my experience hens will lay where they have cover, can get away from the roosters, and think they are safe from predators. They will cackle after laying an egg and run off the nest to distract any predators away from the eggs. Try putting artificial eggs, I use ping Pong or golf balls, where u want them 2 lay. Trick them into thinking another hen has layed there and it is safe for them aswell.

 

[maggievetsch]

That's a great idea, will be trying that! Very sadly, not a few days after this we lost some of our flock to a predator and the rest are now kept to the run until we can get some fencing up...the silver lining is that they'll be by the nesting boxes all day and hopefully will build a habit while we get their new setup done.

 

[WhiteCollarWeezy]

That's a great idea, will be trying that! Very sadly, not a few days after this we lost some of our flock to a predator and the rest are now kept to the run until we can get some fencing up...the silver lining is that they'll be by the nesting boxes all day and hopefully will build a habit while we get their new setup done.

 

[WhiteCollarWeezy]

aww...thats terrible...we have had a fox problem for a long while now. I know how you feel tho. Pisses me off more than it makes me sad. Ive been seeking revenge. or plotting it at least. what kind of predator do u think it may be

 

[Amphitecna]

Hi! I am so sorry to read about the predator intrusion. I hope everyone is hanging in there OK. I have pretty much the same question regarding free-ranging and egg-laying habits. I know your girls are in the coop right now, but wanted to join this conversation rather than start an identical thread. My circumstances are new flock (5 month olds arrived 1.5 weeks ago) of 4 hens. I'm urban but have 450 m2 of back yard for them to roam and hide. There are foxes and martens here, but they're issues at night. During the day its the neighborhood cats.

Ultimately, they will free-range all day. We started letting them out of the run 3 days ago for short, supervised explorations. They'd clearly like to be out longer- they wait so cutely at the run door. I'd like to let them, but I'm wondering if I should restrict their free-range time to the afternoons until good laying habits are developed (i.e. they lay in the nice boxes with hay and fake eggs not make me play "find the egg" under the shrubs in my yard).

One laid one shell-less egg in the roosting area of the coop about 3 days ago. Based on the timing, I think it was early in the morning. We've had nothing since, so I suppose it could be a while before they're laying regularly.