How to prep free rangers to lay in coop: New and clueless

[Shannonwbl]

We are brand new to chickens and are expecting our free-rangers to begin laying in a few weeks. They don't tend to go back to the coop during the day so I was concerned about where they might start laying.

Also, my nesting boxes don't have a top. They tend to perch on the sides and poop in the nest do I have to clean them often. Does that make a difference?

We are totally clueless and appreciate any suggestions.

 

[panner123]

They will lay in the nest boxes once the start. You may need to place a fake egg in the nest to get them going. If you can place a perch away from the nest boxes. I do know what you mean about filling the boxes with poop. I found by using milk crates, you can cut the clean up time way down. Just pick the crate up take it outside and dump
it, replace it and put clean material back in.

 

[Lammie]

I have a lot of range chickens that I like to have lay in the barn. I started throwing scratch all around there and they came down to get it and over time they started laying in there. Just keep food and water around where you want them to be and they will come. I still have a lot of them laying in the trees, and I don't go up there looking. But if they will lay anywhere they can me made to feel secure. It must might not happen all the time.

 

[Lady Marion]

We just figured out where our one flock hides their eggs, and then they switched hiding places on us! Maybe we should keep one egg in there at all times? Where do I get a fake egg?

 

[Shannonwbl]

We have a fake egg in there that we got from the feed store, so I guess we will just wait and see. We lock them in at night to keep the critters out, and I am hoping they lay early morning before I open the coop for the day. Anxiously waiting!

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Quote:
An old (or new for that matter) golf ball will do. For years I had cute semiprecious stones shaped into eggs, too. That was hilarious when the kids collected eggs cos they couldn't figure out the 'stone eggs'