Looking for first egg free ranging

[Vickydolittle]

My pullets are 15 weeks old and some are starting to get bright red/bigger combs and waddles. (Mainly my cinnamon queen a couple silver laced wyandotte.) They normally free range all day, but as they get closer to time to lay their first eggs, I would like to know! Should I keep them in the coop/run area until I see an egg and that they are using their nesting boxes? Should I wait a little longer to do that? TIA!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

What time do you let them out in the morning? If you let them out first thing, they may not lay in the nests. I would suggest keeping them in the coop/ run area till at least noon until they start laying and for about a month after that. Also keep a golf ball or fake egg in each nest, to show them that "this" is a safe and appropriate place to lay their eggs (and yes, a golf ball will fool them and I advise it because a fake egg will fool you, too, lol). If you use fake eggs, mark thrm in some way, like using a Sharpie to draw a circle around them. I would start keeping them confined for part of each day starting now. Good luck!

 

[Vickydolittle]

What time do you let them out in the morning? If you let them out first thing, they may not lay in the nests. I would suggest keeping them in the coop/ run area till at least noon until they start laying and for about a month after that. Also keep a golf ball or fake egg in each nest, to show them that "this" is a safe and appropriate place to lay their eggs (and yes, a golf ball will fool them and I advise it because a fake egg will fool you, too, lol). If you use fake eggs, mark thrm in some way, like using a Sharpie to draw a circle around them. I would start keeping them confined for part of each day starting now. Good luck!

This is also what I was thinking! Thank you. Yes, I do normally let them out first thing because it's so hot, they normally find more bugs and stuff to eat in the early morning and evening, but temperatures just dropped to high 80's, so I think they'll still have good free range time. I'll have to try a golf ball, because I'll be so disappointed if I forget it's a fake egg

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Do they have a good run to be in during the early part of the day? They should not just be locked in the coop all morning.

 

[C Siena]

I believe it was the cinnamon queens (have 2) that laid a couple of eggs earlier this week. Tiny, but eggs! They were 16.5 weeks. We have only let them out a little to free range for a few hours Thankfully, they go back into the coop for treats and I lock them up with access to the run. I let them out about 10ish and have golf balls in the boxes but they have a mind of their own...and laid in the straw at the end of the boxes.

 

[Vickydolittle]

Do they have a good run to be in during the early part of the day? They should not just be locked in the coop all morning.

They do! That's why it says "coop/run area" because they do have space, just obviously not as much space as them free ranging. They're pretty good little good hunters! They also have spaces to hide/possibly nest in on our acerage kind of by our house and I really don't want to miss the first eggs or attract more land predators because I don't know the eggs are there.

 

[Vickydolittle]

I believe it was the cinnamon queens (have 2) that laid a couple of eggs earlier this week. Tiny, but eggs! They were 16.5 weeks. We have only let them out a little to free range for a few hours Thankfully, they go back into the coop for treats and I lock them up with access to the run. I let them out about 10ish and have golf balls in the boxes but they have a mind of their own...and laid in the straw at the end of the boxes.
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Awe! Congratulations I let them out into their run at around 8am, but am now letting them out to free range during the day at noon so praying that works! They come back throughout the day and put themselves up around dusk. (Then I of course lock them up and start again)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Let us know how that works.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

My 4-month old lavender pullets have just started laying and I am having the same issues now, lol! I am going to start keeping them confined in the first run (there are two, connected) until about 4 pm and then let them have both runs, for about two weeks, then decide what to do next. I'll let you know how it goes. My Golden retriever has brought me an egg three days in a row, I'm sure she's finding them "out" somewhere.

 

[C Siena]

Awe! Congratulations I let them out into their run at around 8am, but am now letting them out to free range during the day at noon so praying that works! They come back throughout the day and put themselves up around dusk. (Then I of course lock them up and start again)

They have Not laid anymore! It's been 4 days and they did free range for 4 hours and did not go far...I thought I checked well for eggs under their fav lilac tree, to no avail. Hopefully another couple this week.