Free range chickens....question about 1 of them

[Queeniesmom]

I have 12 chickens. They all free range during day light hours. We live on 10 acres, so plenty of space. 1 of my girls has quite the attitude. She is a 6 months old ISA brown. She will not lay in the coop. She goes out of her way to hide her eggs. She will wait. When I let them out in the morning, she waits until I'm in the coop and takes off like a rabbit. I've waited at the coop and just watched the girls, and she stays until I'm distracted. She disappears into the long grass and is dead quiet. With in 10 mins she sounds a loud series of squawks.....from the path but further up from where she disappears. I swear she is laughing at me :/. ( I know she is laying, because I eventually find the spot and gather the 5+ eggs. She never returns to the spot, in fact she goes to the opposite side of the yard next time). Any suggestions?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

About all you can do is lock her in for a few weeks. She may eventually return to the coop on her own. Do you have fake ceramic eggs in your nestboxes? Do you get snow in winter? That will change her mind too.

 

[Queeniesmom]

Thank you. Unfortunately she was taken by a raccoon yesterday.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So sorry to hear that.