Free Ranging and Egg Laying ?s

[Renee572]

I have started to let my chickens free range again.... I was afraid they'd fly away so I kept them in the coop but we clipped their wings so I am letting them out again. We only have 1 layer so far but she has laid at all times of the day, real early to real late. She also has not taken to using the nesting boxes and I don't want to search for eggs. What is your suggestions for letting them free range? Should I just let them and expect to go searching for eggs, should I keep her contained to the coop until she lays for the day (assuming she will lay) and let the other 4 girls out to free range?

I've done everything suggested to get her to use the nest boxes and she hasn't yet so I am not thinking she will run back into the coop to use them. I'm at a loss since I am new to chickens!

 

[chikkenfriend]

Got 20 chickens. 9 are laying. Free range. Had one that layed all over the place in the beginning. But she saw that the others used the nest boxes and soon followed suit. Do the others use nest boxes?

Tried golf balls? We used them in the beginning.

 

[bobshere]

I let mine out after lunch if im home. If im at work they get out for at least a couple of.hours when I get home from work and even if they havnt laid by the time I let them out they still go back to the nest to lay. Mine are usually waiting in line for the favorite nest....funny..

 

[Renee572]

Chikkenfriend we only have 5 hens and she is the first to lay, no one else has started yet. I have seen them all checking out the nest boxes but I have yet to see any of them actually get in and try them out so I am worried that the others will follow her lead and lay them all around the coop.

We have the golf balls in 3 of them and 1 without. Any other suggestions because she laid her 7th egg today in the middle of the coop floor even though she peeked in the nest box many times before she actually laid it!