free rangeing and egg laying?

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

X5

 

[8ROYALS]

I have two that like to lay on the porch...I know where one does, but just found out about the other one...frozen egg on the porch

 

[BeautifulPacificNorthwest]

Mine free range all day (out at 7:30 am, in at dark). For the most part they return to the coop to lay.

However...

I had a BO who started laying in the goat barn. Once she started, others followed and pretty soon I had more eggs in the barn than in the coop. I tried locking them in, but I swear they would cross their legs, hold it in and run to the barn to lay when released. I figured if they were going to lay there, I might as well protect the eggs so I put a milk crate down for them. I guess that scared most of them away. Now, I find an egg a day (from my BO) in there, but the others use the nest boxes in the coop.

 

[gryeyes]

I have several coops, my flock ranges freely, and the hens & pullets all return to one or another coop to lay eggs.

Sometimes somebody discovers the duck's nest between a tree and the little house for the water heater, and will lay her egg there if Thelma has laid her egg there already. I just gather them both and all is okay again for a while. Just one or two hens pull that trick, and only every once in a while, so I know to check there, too.

The amusing thing is how they move from this to that coop to lay their eggs. Like trying out a new nest box. That's what the younger ones do; the older hens stick to one nest box in the main coop. Their coop. They have that seniority.

 

[chickbird]

Quote:
some of mine return to the nest to lay and some start another nest, most often in our barn.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't free range during warm weather because they like lettuce and broccoli too much. I have a chicken tractor but mine lay all day and not just morning. I haven't had luck getting them to accept a box in the tractor for laying. They holler and finally dig out just to run back to the coop to lay.

 

[chicmom]

I think that, if they have established a routine for laying, they will come back inside the coop to lay. I don't let mine out until I'm home from work at 5pm, then they stay out until it's just about dark, when they come inside on their own. Then I lock up for the night.

I would say your hens probably have a good routine established and should do OK. If you notice a decrease in egg production, just keep them inside longer until the resume their routine.

 

[ScotianChick]

Mine go back to the coop to lay but will make a big fuss and pretend they aren't going to. Like they're going to find some new magical egg laying spot.

 

[cybercat]

I free range all day also. Occasonially we will find a nest out of coop. Last one was Dec on side of house. Hens will do that so they can horde eggs to go broody. New layer will do it too. When mine started laying I had a couple laying in nests other all over property. I had to lock them up for a week so they would stop that and lay in nests only. It worked.

 

[calgal98]

I really thought mine were all laying in the boxes. Then discovered several eggs in the goats (bucks) feeder. Then in the loft of the barn. Then under the llumber pile. Fortunately, MOST of mine lay in the hen house in the nest boxes. LOL