Hens should be laying soon, should I...

[mamaboyd]

Some of my hens should be laying very soon. Some of them already sit alot on the coop floor, even during the day. Should I start keep them in the coop more to get them used to sitting in the nest boxes instead of letting them wander around when they escape the run?? There is one hen who is looking near ready, and she's always in the paddock with the horses, and I know that if she starts laying eggs out there, I'll never find them. Any advice would be great, every morning we get up to run and see if there are any eggs...none yet, but we are patiently waiting!!

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Do you have a connected run to your coop? If so, just leave them in that until later in the afternoon and then you can let them free range a little in the evening before dusk just until they get the hang of where you want them to lay.

 

[mamaboyd]

Thanks!!! Our coop has the run connected to it. The only problem is, a few of our hens have been flying over the fence of the coop and free ranging. Today, though, only 1 hen decided to get out and that was just for a bit this morning. When I put her back in the coop, she stayed in the area and did not venture over the fence. Hopefully this is a sign that she is sticking close to home to lays eggs!!

 

[allen wranch]

Can you put some netting over the fence ?

 

[mamaboyd]

That's a good idea!!! I'll have to check into that, thanks!!

 

[bantymum]

Perhaps give the flyers a wingclip.
Make a nice cosy private box for the eggs and try putting a plastic or shop bought egg in there!!watch for her reaction, funny to hear their little "whats this" chirps!!!!

 

[mamaboyd]

I've tried the golf ball thing, they just make a mess in the boxes and kick the balls out. Next will be the fake egg thing, I'm sure I've got some plastic eggs around here left over from Easter. Oh yes, the looks on their faces when they see the golf balls in the boxes are priceless, when I put a hen on one, they get off and look at it as if to say, "did I do that", than they peck at it and out of the box it rolls. One of these days.....

 

[bantymum]

personally, ive never had luck with a golf ball, they are smarter than we give them credit for!!!!