Hens suddenly started laying in woods

[Rhonda Sue]

Our girls have been really good about laying in their nesting boxes until the last few weeks. I found 2 nests with about a dozen eggs each this week outside in the woods. One in a pile of brush and one in between the stacks of wood in our woodpile. Both batches had been rained on over the past several days. We collected the eggs and they have stopped laying in those places. Is there anything we can do to get them to lay in the coop? I’m happy to let a few hens raise some chicks, but it can’t be outside as it’s not safe.

 

[sourland]

Try putting fake eggs in the nest boxes.

 

[MissE]

Our girls have been really good about laying in their nesting boxes until the last few weeks. I found 2 nests with about a dozen eggs each this week outside in the woods. One in a pile of brush and one in between the stacks of wood in our woodpile. Both batches had been rained on over the past several days. We collected the eggs and they have stopped laying in those places. Is there anything we can do to get them to lay in the coop? I’m happy to let a few hens raise some chicks, but it can’t be outside as it’s not safe.

If it were me, I would confine them to the coop and run for a few days so they forget about laying somewhere else.

My chickens don't free range. They have an electric poultry fence that keeps them where I want them when they are not in the coop or run. Keeps them safe, and I can catch unwanted behavior right away and nip it in the bud.

 

[Rhonda Sue]

Try putting fake eggs in the nest boxes.

We do have 2 fake eggs in the nesting boxes. Sorry - should have included that above.