I've read many posts on here about leaving the girls in the coop longer, when they start to lay, to "convince" them to lay in the nesting boxes. My girls are 19 weeks old and not laying yet. My husband and both leave for work by 7:30ish and don't return til 4 or 5. They will lay when they are ready, I know, but I am worried about where
My , now hens free range everyday from nine AM to four PM. They lay all their eggs in their nest boxes. When their ready to lay they return to the coop lay the egg & sing the egg song & my roo goes & gets the girl & they continue free ranging.
I have a quarter acre fenced in with 6' chain link where my hens free range at will. I dont lock the coop and they come and go as they please. They just started laying recently but they always lay in the 5-gallon-bucket nests inside the coop.
If there is no older birds to show POL the way, this might be a good scenario for fake eggs. I use the plastic easter eggs rather than the dimply golf balls. Put a little weight in the plastic eggs and seal them. Leave 2 in the nest. Chicken's instinct to lay in cluster will do the rest.
I do have golf balls in place and no older hens. They are all the same age, within a day. Thanks for all the knowledge and pep talk. I can hardly wait for that first egg!!!
