Free ranging ends egg production?

[AddieC]

I let my chickens out of their predator safe run a couple days a week when I am present. However, I notice that on those days I never get any eggs from my 4 regular layers. I have 5 new girls and one has started to lay in the box as expected. I have looked for a secret nest out in the regular yard, but I have never found one. Could the free ranging interfere with egg production? I have regular grass and various bushes around the yard, nothing unique. This has been going on for several months. They slowed down egg production during the "winter" (So Cal) and I expected them to pick back up in spring and it never happened. That's when I noticed the pattern. Thanks!

 

[Tonyroo]

Free ranging shouldn't affect there need to lay everyday. But high temperatures, molting, illness, predator scare would make them stop.

 

[Hanathehappyhen]

I let my chickens out of their predator safe run a couple days a week when I am present. However, I notice that on those days I never get any eggs from my 4 regular layers. I have 5 new girls and one has started to lay in the box as expected. I have looked for a secret nest out in the regular yard, but I have never found one. Could the free ranging interfere with egg production? I have regular grass and various bushes around the yard, nothing unique. This has been going on for several months. They slowed down egg production during the "winter" (So Cal) and I expected them to pick back up in spring and it never happened. That's when I noticed the pattern. Thanks!

Free ranging shouldn’t stop egg production. They could have a secret nest ( chickens can be very sneaky when they want to be.) which you either haven’t found, or is getting stolen from by other animals.

 

[aart]

I let my chickens out of their predator safe run a couple days a week when I am present. However, I notice that on those days I never get any eggs from my 4 regular layers. I have 5 new girls and one has started to lay in the box as expected. I have looked for a secret nest out in the regular yard, but I have never found one. Could the free ranging interfere with egg production? I have regular grass and various bushes around the yard, nothing unique. This has been going on for several months. They slowed down egg production during the "winter" (So Cal) and I expected them to pick back up in spring and it never happened. That's when I noticed the pattern. Thanks!

Stop letting them range for a couple weeks, see what happens.