locating free range hens eggs

[Brittany0309]

We adopted a light brown leghorn hen who is approximately a year old about a month and a half ago. The second we opened the box she was transported in the flew out and ran so fast I swear she is part road runner. Anyway, she hopped the 5 foot chainlink and hasnt come in the yard with us present since. She struts out of the brush that surrounds our property daily to come say hello to our other hens and fill up on some easily found food and water, then scurries off again when she is done or so much as hears a person. It doesnt bother me per say. she's so fast I know a predator isnt going to catch her, I'm a little worried for her with our chicago weather come winter : / and we are moving this weekend so I would like to catch her to bring her with, but unless anyone has suggestions in how to do that I think she will end up being the neighborhoods chicken. Anywho I dogress. My question is how in the heck can I find her eggs?!? After all this time she has to have a full nest out there but I cant find the remnants of a darn shell let alone an egg. Any suggestions???

 

[Kelsie2290]

Catching her. Do you feed/water your chickens in the coop or is the food outside? If you can feed yours in the coop she will probably go inside and you maybe able to shut the door on her. If you know where she is roosting, or you can figure it out, catching them at night is usually pretty easy if you can reach them or knock them off the branch. Live trap would be the other thing that comes to mind, I have a dog sized one I use but you could use a smaller one if you have one, bait the trap unset for a few days so they get used to going in it to eat, then set it.
Eggs, you are pretty much left with an egg hunt if she is laying, leghorns usually don't set but they do like to hide eggs. Any small dark hidden places she has access to in the brush or any buildings she could get into, any junk laying around, she may even be laying in the coop? if she is visiting your other hens on a regular basis.

 

[Brittany0309]

the food is usually in the coop, she won't go in there. she scrounges around for any left over treats the others missed or the corn from the squirrels. aside from that she is an amazing forager. I haven't a clue where she is sleeping at night because the second she realizes toy are coming, which is always before you see her, she bolts. : / I know she isn't laying in the coop because we only have one hen laying right now and I'm getting an egg a day.