How to stop chicken from laying eggs in woods?

[sydbiggs]

Hi! I'm new to chickens ..I have 12 hens, most are laying they are mostly free range. However, very inconsistent laying and hardly ever in the nesting box. It's been very hot (Texas) so just thought it was due to the heat that I was only getting around 4-6eggs a day. I have fake eggs in box to try and get them to lay but today I found their "honey hole" which is in the woods under some logs from a tree we cut down..it's definitely a snake den and want to encourage them to lay in coop nesting boxes ..any recommendations?

 

[HumbleAmerican]

Lock them in for a week.

This forces them to find a new ‘safe spot’ and it will become a new habit. Eggs start dwindling, lock them up again.

 

[Percheron chick]

Don't let them out until lunch time. Most hens lay in the morning.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since you mention it is very hot right now, if you're going to lock them in the coop for any period of time at all, make sure the temperatures inside are safe enough to do so.

Much more preferable would be to lock them in their run with coop access, but you don't mention if there's a run or not.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

Since you mention it is very hot right now, if you're going to lock them in the coop for any period of time at all, make sure the temperatures inside are safe enough to do so.

Much more preferable would be to lock them in their run with coop access, but you don't mention if there's a run or not.

This!!!!

I just assume coop/run setup and I really shouldn’t.

 

[Mrs. K]

Chickens do get notions. What I have found when they have a hidden nest, if I can block off that nest, they tend to lay where I want. It is like they look around, and see the next best nest, if that is in your coop, your golden...until they get a new notion.

Mrs K

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Chickens do get notions. What I have found when they have a hidden nest, if I can block off that nest, they tend to lay where I want. It is like they look around, and see the next best nest, if that is in your coop, your golden...until they get a new notion.

Mrs K

Hi @Mrs. K
I’m reviving this thread on hidden nests trying to understand why they do this. I have a broody hen on the choice nest in the coop. There are 3 other nests- more than enough, but my EE Karen has run off to lay in the woods. I know where and have taken the egg daily. She’s mid pecking order.
Could she not want to be near the broody hen who is top of pecking order? Or could she be laying eggs in a prebroody state?
So far all the other hens go in the coop and no one notices she’s missing. She is pretty stealth.
TIA

 

[StinkyAcres]

Hi @Mrs. K
I’m reviving this thread on hidden nests trying to understand why they do this. I have a broody hen on the choice nest in the coop. There are 3 other nests- more than enough, but my EE Karen has run off to lay in the woods. I know where and have taken the egg daily. She’s mid pecking order.
Could she not want to be near the broody hen who is top of pecking order? Or could she be laying eggs in a prebroody state?
So far all the other hens go in the coop and no one notices she’s missing. She is pretty stealth.
TIA

Are your nest boxes comfy and cozy and is each box separated from the other?

 

[fluffycrow]

Hi @Mrs. K
I’m reviving this thread on hidden nests trying to understand why they do this. I have a broody hen on the choice nest in the coop. There are 3 other nests- more than enough, but my EE Karen has run off to lay in the woods. I know where and have taken the egg daily. She’s mid pecking order.
Could she not want to be near the broody hen who is top of pecking order? Or could she be laying eggs in a prebroody state?
So far all the other hens go in the coop and no one notices she’s missing. She is pretty stealth.
TIA

It's not really something that has a reason behind it. Hens just decide to do it. Some people say nests made in a natural setting selected by the hen herself are more likely to end up I'm a broody. I wouldn't know . If you want her to stop, just lock her in the coop

 

[aart]

Could she not want to be near the broody hen

Most likely the reason, broodies can cause chaos.
Are there fake eggs in the other nests?
Might have to confine them to re-establish the coop nest laying habit...
...or move the broody to another place.