free range chickens laying

[abhaya]

All my large breed chickens are free range most are young and not laying yet free range how do I know when they start will they go to the coop my older chicken does
Do I need to keep them in the coop till noon or something to get them to lay in the coop? Any suggestions welcome.

 

[Judy]

Mine are free range, of different ages but all at least laying age, and do their laying in the coop -- mostly. Found eggs in the weeds twice this year. When they slowed down for the winter and molting, I locked them up in their coop and large fenced yard for a couple of days to check this, and I actually got more eggs when they free ranged than when they were locked up. Just my experience, of course.

 

[abhaya]

mine should be laying any time but with the short days it may take longer. just wondering what people do.A lot of the free range is in the woods and I am not going in them to look for eggs unless i absolutly have to. I am disabled and the woods could be very bad for me.