Free Range Laying Hens

[jacobkelly15]

for the first few days they shouldnt lay in the boxes in the coop they may lay in the yard area but they would go back at night to roost for food and water and eventually will lay in the proper nesting boxes!

 

[joedie]

I have two flocks as well and all free range together. For the most part they lay in the coop but I have found a few stranglers. One time last year, I found 47 eggs in a heap in the hay mow and the other day I found 19 in the hay again. Who knows whats under the barns.

 

[AlienChick]

Before I moved to a new house my free-range chickens ONLY laid their eggs inside the coop. And they laid throughout the day (not just in the morning).

We moved about a month ago and due to stress from the move, shorter daylight hours, and molting, they all stopped laying. Just this past week they've picked up again.

They are laying inside the coop; however, I recently found a really cute shallow nest tucked away near a little bush right in front of the coop that had SEVEN eggs in it.

I pass by this spot every day and have never noticed it. I collected the eggs and brought them into the house and put a golf ball in the nest since (now that I know where the nest is), I can check that spot each day.

It's been three days later and no one has touched that nest since. (They probably found a new site.)

Anyway, now I'm in the habit of checking the yard for eggs every day, but thankfully most (if not all) are laying inside the coop.

 

[Tracydr]

I had a banty recently who I saw fly over the paddock fence, go into a bush, lay an egg and fly back. I was wondering why I was getting half the eggs from my two little ones!
Usually, I've "trained" my hens by keeping them up for a few weeks when they first start laying and that works pretty well.
The funniest thing is guineas. I have no idea how they procreate in the wild. When I had them, I was always finding old nests with literally 50-60 eggs on them. I only had one or two guineas ever successfully brood a clutch. On the other hand, when I had peafowl, they would always do a good job hiding the eggs up in the rafters and brood them every year, or at least I must have had one good broody.
I would certainly do an egg sweep every day or two. You'll soon learn where hens like to lay and it won't take long to do quick search. Eggs will stay fresh for at least that long if you miss them. Just float in a cup of water if you're not sure. Bad eggs float, good eggs sink.
I did learn, when I had guineas, to open each egg in a little bowl before putting it in the frying pan. Otherwise, I was sometimes in for a surprise!

 

[jenkassai]

Okay, new, somewhat related question. I had read about the golf ball in the nest, but forgot about it! Is that to teach them to lay there? I have some golf balls, should I put one or two in the nests?

 

[so lucky]

Yes, it's to show them where to lay. Mine are so great about taking the hint from the golf balls. I have two golf balls and three nest boxes. They never lay in the empty nest. I can switch nests with the golf ball, and they follow the golf ball. You would think by now they would know where to go on their own! My grown son has about 10 ducks and chickens at his house. They are penned up together. They lay their eggs anywhere, and they are always so dirty-Yuck! Not poop, just mud and straw, etc. NO WAY I could eat one of those without scrubbing it good! I don't wash the eggs from my girls. I almost never have a speck of anything on them. Lucked out so far, I know! Hence my name....

 

[Linn Bee]

I am new to chickens and not all my girls are laying yet, but mine are free-range. I watch as one hen or another will walk sedately toward the coop to lay. A while later she will step out of the coop and call loudly. My rooster will strut to meet her until he makes eye contact. Then he will call her to him and walk her back to the flock. So neat!

Still, I can't be sure they aren't laying eggs somewhere else, I suppose.

Love, Linn B (aka Smart Red) Gardening zone 5a - 4b in south-est, central-est Wisconsin

 

[so lucky]

That IS neat. Good Roo!

 

[LT]

I would keep them inside until about noon each day. This establishes good laying habits. We did this with ours, and now, even if they are out to free range, they all return to their nest boxes to lay.

 

[jenkassai]

Thanks all! I will keep them in their run until the afternoon and put a couple of golf balls in the nest boxes tomorrow morning! No eggs today

Maybe tomorrow!