Free range chickens & egg laying

[Chickenladyamie]

Yesterday was the first time I let my chickens roam the yard completely free. My leghorn starting laying this week and I was getting 3 white eggs a day. yesterday I left the coop open so they could go in and lay if need be. 2 reds went in and laid their 1st eggs and 1 of the leghorns did. did the other 2 not lay that day or is it common that they will lay in the yard? also, I have like 40 nesting boxes and they fight over one box!! actually kick whoever is laying in there out! I'm concerned that if they free range they are going to lay were I cannot access the eggs- like the huge patch of poison ivy that just wont die!! seems like thats where they love to go.
do leghorns lay everyday? I also have a hen that I guess looks like a Hampshire red but her eggs are brown with spots? the others are just brown.

 

[mshuntjump]

They will lay in other places besides the nesting boxes(yard, etc.), however, it is possible for the hens just not to lay that day. Also, chickens are creatures of habit. If they are fighting over one nesting box, put two eggs(fake or real) in each nesting box so they will see it as "Oh, everyone else is laying in those, I guess I should too."

 

[Chickenladyamie]

I have been doing the fake egg thing..I guess they are smarter than I give them credit for!!