Is it OK to free-range chickens that haven't started to lay?

[MIChickandGuinea]

I have 7 pullets that are 16 weeks old, and they dearly love to tootle around outside their pen in our yard. But they're starting to be the age where we might think of seeing an egg or two (I know it could be WEEKS yet, but I have heard of some breeds laying this early), and I am worried about letting them out of their pen, in case they decide to do all their egg-laying out in the yard where I'll never find them. We live out in the country with SO many places for the girls to hide eggs if they were so inclined. But this is my first flock, and I don't know if I am worrying about nothing. Do I need to keep them confined until their egg-laying habits are established inside the coop/nesting box? Or if they haven't laid an egg in the coop by noon or mid-afternoon, could I feel safe that they're not going to, and then be able to let them have some yard time?
They are 1 white leghorn, 2 Isa Browns (or, someone on here said maybe a generic sex link that an irresponsible hatchery is calling Isa Brown without having the proper patent permission or something?), 2 black marans, 2 aracaunas. The white leghorn and one of the Isa Browns have very developed, bright-red combs, and the leghorn keeps going up into the coop at all times of day to peck and shuffle around the next box, which she didn't used to do until about last week.
Thanks for any insight!

 

[ChickonLand]

I have 7 pullets that are 16 weeks old, and they dearly love to tootle around outside their pen in our yard. But they're starting to be the age where we might think of seeing an egg or two (I know it could be WEEKS yet, but I have heard of some breeds laying this early), and I am worried about letting them out of their pen, in case they decide to do all their egg-laying out in the yard where I'll never find them. We live out in the country with SO many places for the girls to hide eggs if they were so inclined. But this is my first flock, and I don't know if I am worrying about nothing. Do I need to keep them confined until their egg-laying habits are established inside the coop/nesting box? Or if they haven't laid an egg in the coop by noon or mid-afternoon, could I feel safe that they're not going to, and then be able to let them have some yard time?
They are 1 white leghorn, 2 Isa Browns (or, someone on here said maybe a generic sex link that an irresponsible hatchery is calling Isa Brown without having the proper patent permission or something?), 2 black marans, 2 aracaunas. The white leghorn and one of the Isa Browns have very developed, bright-red combs, and the leghorn keeps going up into the coop at all times of day to peck and shuffle around the next box, which she didn't used to do until about last week.
Thanks for any insight!

Sounds like your Leghorn is about to start laying!!!

I have free range hens and they never had a run. Yes, the second hen to start laying did lay in a bush but I just locked her in the hutch because she and one other hen were the only ones laying. It's totally up to you what you do. If you have fake eggs in the coop and the hens are seeing those fake eggs everyday then maybe they'll just lay in their nesting box.

Just be warned that if they start laying in bushes and you can't find them then they could keep laying in those hidden nests.

 

[Pork Pie]

Mine free range and the only rogue eggs I've had are soft shell ones from first time layers. If you do find that they are laying out and about, you can keep them in the coop until noon, or until they have layed, to get them used to using the nest boxes.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Mine free range and the only rogue eggs I've had are soft shell ones from first time layers. If you do find that they are laying out and about, you can keep them in the coop until noon, or until they have layed, to get them used to using the nest boxes.

My concern is that I would never know if they were laying out and about. We live on large acreage with forests, corn fields, barns and gardens. The number of places a bird could hide her eggs is limitless!! since nobody has started laying yet, i think if they started laying in the forest, I would never know!! I would just think I had the slowest maturing hens of all time.

 

[Pork Pie]

My concern is that I would never know if they were laying out and about. We live on large acreage with forests, corn fields, barns and gardens. The number of places a bird could hide her eggs is limitless!! since nobody has started laying yet, i think if they started laying in the forest, I would never know!! I would just think I had the slowest maturing hens of all time.

If you can build a run, then you can keep them confined at least you see that they use the nest boxes - that should work. The run may also be useful if you intend being out when it's time to close the coop

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

They have a nice, large run. It's not like they are confined to a tiny space. But they LIKE to run free and be wild forest chickens But they can stay in their pen for a while, I guess.

 

[sueiris]

I really like to let my guys out if possible. You might lose a few eggs, but I think it's good for them to be out.

 

[chickenmama109]

my white leghorn is about 4 to 5 months old and has laid about 4 eggs

you can fix places in your yard where you want them to lay make it really privet so the hens will like it

good luck

 

[Sublight]

If you have a lot of land, id probably keep them in until they know where they should lay. Then let them out.
One time I found about 30 eggs under a bush beside a fence. So not only were they NOT laying in my coop, but that fence is where predators come from. So they were risking their lifes, and not giving me eggs at the same time.
It taught me a lesson.

 

[orchardflock]

Unfortunately, there's no guarantee they won't suddenly decided to lay in some random place at any age. We have five one year old hens and five 16 week old pullets, and have only been getting 1-2 eggs a day the last few days after 6 months of consistently averaging 4 a day. I very much doubt they have suddenly just stopped laying. My son is actually out there right now trying to spy on them to see where they are going. Our coop does not feel big enough to keep them penned up all day, but that will be the next step. We do have a 16 week old cockerel, so maybe that's why we're suddenly getting this behavior. I'm not sure.