Hens Started Free-Ranging and Stopped Laying

[porchet]

I have five hens, and they are all new. At first, they pretty much just hung out around the coop, even though they were allowed to free-range. The three older ones were laying regularly. When they became familiar enough with their surroundings, they began to free-range. Now they are out and about all day and just go back to the coop at night. The strange thing is, at the same time they started to free-range, they stopped laying. I've searched and searched throughout all their favorite spots in the yard, and there are no eggs. (I realize I could miss an egg or two, but there should be eight or ten by now, and I'm sure I couldn't be missing that many.) Is this normal?

 

[cameronfarm]

Free ranging is unlikely to impact laying unless their feed has been reduced on the assumption they get enough to eat foraging (they don't usually). More likely they are laying in a different spot and you are going to have a fun easter egg hunt I have one hen that if she gets out consistently flies up to the hay loft, makes a nest, and lays her eggs there.

 

[BunkyB]

Woo hoo an easter egg hunt after easter... If the birds are just now free ranging and exploring you will probable find some hidden treasures more often. It should smooth itself out after a bit but, can you hold them in the coop until afternoon a couple of days or in a run. Once they know they aren't going anywhere real soon they should go back to the nesting boxes.

They just have to establish a new routine of being able to free range and laying eggs on the fly, sorta speak. Give it a shot for a few days and look for a laying change... Steve

 

[Fred's Hens]

Confine them for a few days, in the coop/run combo or whatever facilities you have. If you get 8 -10 eggs, magically, then you know. It's that simple. It is highly doubtful that good layers suddenly stop laying.

How long have these hens been on your property and in your coop?