What time do you let your chickens....

[Clay In Iowa]

DON'T WAIT on the boxes. I had it all scheduled out and was planning to have nest boxes in by week 18... because chickens don't lay till........... problem is I forgot to tell the girls about my schedule and one started laying under the roost......very clan under there........ I threw something together chucked some golf balls in it and she thankfully chose to lay her third egg in the box. I now have a row of 4-15"x15"x15" boxes they use every day.


Funny thing was the other hens would stand around watching her when she layed. A few would hop in and "practice". Except for one in the run they haven't missed the boxes again.

 

[animal nut]

I let mine free range let out from 6o am to around 9:00 pm. They tell me whent they are ready for bed. I maybe have found 2 or 3 eggs out of the nesting boxes in all the time that I have had chickens.

 

[Jen4]

I was just thinking about that... was wondering what if one of them starts to lay early, guess that could happen... my brain is always wondering... lol. I do have 3 milk crates in the coop right now... think I'll use them for nest boxes til we build some... we have 34 chickens and 5 guineas... how many nest boxes do you need?

thanks

 

[Jen4]

animal nut wrote:I let mine free range let out from 6o am to around 9:00 pm.

Thats about the same time mine does too

*I just went out and took chickie pics of them....​

 

[Clay In Iowa]

The standard is one box for every 4 to 5 layers.

I have 4 over sized boxes for 29 pullets, only 5 laying right now with room to add 4 more when needed (I'll need to add the other 4 in about a month).

I've read a tons bout hos hens will share a box and lay together if it's large enough. I'm hoping that's right.

 

[gritsar]

Mine free range from the time I get up until they go to roost at night.
They lay their eggs in the coop. Never found one outside the coop.
However, they were on lockdown when they first started laying, so I believe that helped. At that time they had no choice but to lay in the coop.
Now I occasionally see a girl running from across a field to make it to the coop in time to lay.

 

[Jen4]

Thinking we have 30 hens... dont know about our guineas yet... so maybe 8 nest boxes.

gritsarHowever, they were on lockdown when they first started laying, so I believe that helped.

Good idea!​

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I open their door anywhere from around 7 in the morning and shut it at 8 in the evening. My girls always go back in to lay their eggs and then back out in the yard.

 

[mrloring]

Quote:
I got my first egg yesterday. My Red Sexlinks are only 14 weeks old!!! Mine don't free range but she used the nest without added golfballs, eggs, or fake eggs to show them.

 

[Jen4]

Cool... wish mine would hurry up, tired of buying eggs from the store! lol