Too Much Room

[Gregg1]

I've got 4 free range chickens in a large backyard. I keep them in the pen at night, but let them out in the daytime. I cannot find where they are laying their eggs? They no longer lay in the coup. Any help on getting them to lay in one consistent place would be appreciated.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Yep... use fake eggs in your nest boxes so they don't feel they are being raided daily by egg eating predators and lock them in for about 3-4 days to re train them the correct place to lay. I often have tp do this once weather turns nice again.

Also.. I watch to see where the other girls are lined up waiting and sometimes griping at the current layer to vacate the new chosen spot. Monkey see, chicken do!

 

[RWise]

Fake eggs (golf balls) and I would keep them in a varying few hours each day until they are using the nest boxes, but there is no feed or water in my coop.

 

[Rysktal]

When that started happening to me, I just kept them inside until they laid. A few weeks of not opening the door until 12pm got them back into the habit of laying in the nesting box.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Fake eggs (golf balls) and I would keep them in a varying few hours each day until they are using the nest boxes, but there is no feed or water in my coop.

I don't keep food or water in my coop on a regular basis. But for lock down... yep, I do and remove at night.

I have a large flock and some are still laying at 4 pm... I cannot open the door at noon if I'm retraining. But it is amazing to see the eggs start piling up again!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Lots of great advice given. Good luck!!!!

 

[aart]

I've got 4 free range chickens in a large backyard. I keep them in the pen at night, but let them out in the daytime. I cannot find where they are laying their eggs? They no longer lay in the coup. Any help on getting them to lay in one consistent place would be appreciated.

How old are these birds?
Any chance they have stopped laying to molt?

Lock em up until they get with the program.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.