Who else is waiting for that first egg?

[MeepMeeps]

Do any of you free range? I'm afraid my girls will go under my she'd or in the woods somewhere I wouldn't think to look. I've been keeping them in the coop longer every day recently, hoping that would encourage them. It does appear that someone has been checking out the nesting boxes because they've kicked some shavings out.

I had the same worries and so far so good. My 5 Pullets are 21 weeks and free range all day - the first one layed in the nesting box and the 2nd just started and uses the same box. One lays earlier in the morning and the other mid-late morning. They always return to the coop to lay (or don't go far when they feel they need to go!). We'll see if the next ones do the same. I have to add a thank you to the advice from a lot of people on this forum about this issue and keeping them a few minutes longer in the coop when I can has probably helped. Good luck!!

 

[JessOTR]

Oh, mine free range and come back every night. I meant for egg laying. I want to make sure they lay in the best box.

 

[cmbookworm]

Mine have been great about laying in the nest boxes...they free range all day, but return to the coop throughout the day to eat, lay eggs, whatever. We haven't found any secret stashes around! Their production has slowed waaaaay down though. We have 2 that are in molt and 3 not laying yet (but it seems like they are CLOSE!).

 

[JessOTR]

Quote:I had the same worries and so far so good. My 5 Pullets are 21 weeks and free range all day - the first one layed in the nesting box and the 2nd just started and uses the same box. One lays earlier in the morning and the other mid-late morning. They always return to the coop to lay (or don't go far when they feel they need to go!). We'll see if the next ones do the same. I have to add a thank you to the advice from a lot of people on this forum about this issue and keeping them a few minutes longer in the coop when I can has probably helped. Good luck!!

We posted at the same time. Thank you!

 

[backyardahens]

I got my first egg today!! Super excited and proud!

 

[miller4285]

I have been fretting one egg a day since my first one. Wondering when the other 5 hens will follow Suit

 

[Manyana]

I kept mine in the coop/run till 3pm. Only "free ranged" a few hours per day. They learned to lay in the box first. If they're messing in the boxes,

We free range ours all day....They are just so happy going about every day. Yes we do lose some eggs to goannas but the girls now lay in one of 2 spots and we listen out for their laying songs.

 

[ZAKS CHICKS]

Yeah I'm waiting, i told them soon or else we be talking, chicken salad, fried chicken, chicken stew and more....lol

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

I told mine we were going to start having egg laying seminars if they didn't start laying... they apparently didn't want to attend my seminars because they started laying lol

 

[chickendreams24]

Someone posted this on another thread and I had to share...
Enjoy.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/7096198/width/350/height/700/flags/LL