# Laying outside the boxes



## jkelly83113 (Jul 27, 2016)

Hi everyone! So, I have a hen or two that is laying outside of the boxes... We are finding random eggs in the yard, and I am not sure who is laying them there... Someone is laying in the boxes provided because I am getting around 5 eggs a day out of them... Any thoughts??? (They are free range, and I have heard keeping them locked up while at work and then letting them out in the evening when I get home for some free range time, but that seems so long to be locked up!!)  any ideas welcome!! 

Thanks y'all!!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You heard correctly. They need a little training to get it right for our convenience. If you have a secure run on their coop then they can be out but still confined to learn to lay in more appropriate places.

Very young birds sometimes don't have that whole egg laying thing down pat and won't recognize when it's time to find the nest so if yours are young they could still get this right without you having to do anything.


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## jkelly83113 (Jul 27, 2016)

robin416 said:


> You heard correctly. They need a little training to get it right for our convenience. If you have a secure run on their coop then they can be out but still confined to learn to lay in more appropriate places.
> 
> Very young birds sometimes don't have that whole egg laying thing down pat and won't recognize when it's time to find the nest so if yours are young they could still get this right without you having to do anything.


Yeah, they are still very young and just started laying sometime last week. I will go ahead and do that... Maybe for a couple days do you think? We do not have a run, since they are free ranged.

Thanks!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Either or, being as they just started laying they've not quite figured it out yet and probably will even if you don't lock them up.

Chances are, if you had a run they would lay in the run. They don't recognize what that urge is that they're getting so the eggs end up wherever they happen to be.


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## jkelly83113 (Jul 27, 2016)

robin416 said:


> Either or, being as they just started laying they've not quite figured it out yet and probably will even if you don't lock them up.
> 
> Chances are, if you had a run they would lay in the run. They don't recognize what that urge is that they're getting so the eggs end up wherever they happen to be.


OK- I will go ahead and try it out for a couple days! I hope it works! I would love to be eating those eggs rather than my hubby running them over with the mower!! haha

Thanks again-


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi. I don't know. Does she know there's a nest? I would put a golf ball in it incase she lays before the rest do. I think I would build a small pen for those days that you'll be gone until late. 

Other than that, hopefully she'll find the nest. Soon.


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## jkelly83113 (Jul 27, 2016)

seminolewind said:


> Hi. I don't know. Does she know there's a nest? I would put a golf ball in it incase she lays before the rest do. I think I would build a small pen for those days that you'll be gone until late.
> 
> Other than that, hopefully she'll find the nest. Soon.


Yeah, I mean... I am not sure which girl is the one laying around the yard... It may be one, it may be 2 or 3. I have 9 girls total, and they are all the same age.. So I am not sure who all is laying yet, I just know I am getting eggs... Some in the boxes each day, and others spread around the yard. I think I am going to try to lock them up for a few days during the day and let them out in the evenings when I get home. I think they learn pretty fast whoever isn't doing it correctly.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

jkelly, I would leave them up for a week. I'm not not sure that a couple of days is enough. Once they figure out where their nests are though, they will always go there.


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## jkelly83113 (Jul 27, 2016)

nannypattyrn said:


> jkelly, I would leave them up for a week. I'm not not sure that a couple of days is enough. Once they figure out where their nests are though, they will always go there.


Sounds good, I will keep them up for a week and see how it goes. I think they will catch on pretty easy, because I have some girls who are already doing that. I have 3 nesting boxes for 9 hens, but they all seem to lay in the same one. (When they lay in a box)


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Since it's been so hot,some of my established flock have taken to laying in the yard instead of the coop.Plus,this years babies are giving me a fit about laying in the coop and like you,mine free range and I don't have a run to lock them up.I think once it cools down,everybody will go back to laying in the coop and a couple of the babies are laying in the coop before I let them out.I think they will figure it out,chickens are smarter than most people give them credit for.


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