Hidden eggs everywhere! Any ideas?

[Jlbern21]

I have had one GLW laying about 5 eggs a week for several weeks now. We returned home from a 5 day trip today to find 7 eggs scattered behind our shed and under an old utility trailer. I felt like a kid on Easter today! I'm not sure if one or two more girls started laying while we were gone, but is there any way to help get them to lay in the nesting boxes?! But I am so excited to finally have eggs!!

 

[Caleb999]

I'm not sure if it works, but I've heard of using a plastic egg, a real egg, or something that looks very much like your hens eggs. If they are convinced it is real, you can put it were you want them to lay. If they see it there, they may just start laying there.
Hope it helps. Glad you're happy about your eggs

 

[cpsmith02]

Look at the different places that they are laying in and try to make their boxes have whatever the other places have. If they want a more natural place then they will find it. Try to make the boxes more like outside. The fake eggs/golf balls do work though so it wouldn't hurt to try that to.

 

[CrowHollowFarm]

Pen them up in the house for a week or two and they will develop a good habit. Good luck

 

[Mutt Farm]

Most hens lay in the am, so lock them up till at least 3 pm or so until they are using the nestboxes. Fake eggs or a golfball might help. The rest should follow their lead. Be sure your nest boxes are private and inviting. Good luck! Ley us know how it turns out for you.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I would also be keeping them in the coop and run set up until they lay and do so in the nest boxes.

I did not like finding eggs in the window well of the basement.

 

[ccrow]

I've always kept mine penned until late morning or so, and I've never had them lay anywhere but in the coop. (Not always in the nest boxes, mind you- one of my pullets that have just started laying is using the floor *under* the nest boxes) Then again, maybe I just don't have any good places around my property to tempt them!

 

[Jlbern21]

Thanks for all of the advice! We have one hen that lays in her box, so maybe locking them in the coop and run will help out! They don't tend to lay until 3-6pm currently so maybe a week or two not out and about will do the trick! Since I removed the eggs from their hiding spot, I found two of the girls doing some type of squat near my neighbors shrubs! Told him to cook up what he finds! Lol!

 

[Mutt Farm]

Thanks for all of the advice! We have one hen that lays in her box, so maybe locking them in the coop and run will help out! They don't tend to lay until 3-6pm currently so maybe a week or two not out and about will do the trick! Since I removed the eggs from their hiding spot, I found two of the girls doing some type of squat near my neighbors shrubs! Told him to cook up what he finds! Lol!

My neighbor had a hen that came under my fence to lay. Absolutely, I cooked the eggs! Mine weren't laying yet. Then he fixed the fence.

Need to lock the girls up.In your picture I saw panels that might work as a small run?

 

[Jlbern21]

We do have a run that they can all of a sudden fly out of so we are working on that, but they scope out my quiet dead end street neighborhood and free range all day. They will be sad locked up but hopefully they catch on quick! Is there a way to tell if the eggs are still ok to eat? They could've been out there 5-6 days max....