How to find chicken eggs!

[Delta2 23]

I have two chickens Feathers and Eggie.

They spend most of their time outside scratching/playing in the garden. They never go in the coop except for night time. I was wondering how to get them to lay eggs in the nest boxes, which are in the coop and not somewhere random in the garden.

or can you give me some tips as to how I can actually find eggs in the garden if they lay there? Our garden is absolutely gigantic and has more hiding places than people in Australia. I am serious.

Thanx

 

[cyrixlord]

Have you tried the old 'fake egg in the nestbox' trick?

http://tamanaka.com/MainGallery/ImageAndCaption.aspx?ImgID=272

Works for me, they even go into the coop during their wanderings in the middle of the day to lay me a nice egg

http://tamanaka.com/MainGallery/ImageAndCaption.aspx?ImgID=287

 

[cheeptrick]

I'd lock them up for a few days to make sure they are laying...and then put golf balls or ceramic eggs in the nest boxes. It helps...

AND when searching the garden.....try to stay away from poison sumac!! I got it while HUNTING for eggs! LOL When my girls lay in the garden/yard/woods near the coop....I LOCK them up for a few days....and it cures them of it. BUT last spring I found a whole clutch of like 3 dozen eggs.....sneaky girls!!

Good Luck!!

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Amen. Works every time. A week back in the coop and they'll get a routine.

 

[eggchel]

I agree with cheeptrick, when you are sure that they are laying, lock them up and keep them in the coop/pen until the lay each day. They will develop the habit of laying in their nest box and will usually then go back inside to lay once you start letting them out again.

If you cannot convince them to return to the coop to lay then consider only letting them out late in the day so that unfound eggs dont attract skunks, rats, and snakes.


Chel

 

[Linda in San Diego]

Agreeing with others. My Delightful Dozen started laying and then got lots of free range time. Then a couple of hens decided they liked some other places in the yard. We kept them in the locked run for 3 days, eggs started being laid in the nestboxes again and we now free range from a bit after dawn (I have to get up to open the pop door and I am often 30+ minutes late) until dusk. The DDozen now all return to the coop to lay their eggs in one of the 3 nest boxes.

In fact, today we got 11 eggs, only one EE did not contribute today - so in the fridge we now have 6.5 dozen eggs - I hope someone needs eggs this week! LOL

 

[Delta2 23]

Hello everyone!

Thank you for the replies.
I'll try some of your suggestions.