[northfifeduckling]

I tried leaving none to encourage them to go back into their house - works for one day. I left more than none, they still know it's been tampered with! 2 or 3 share any outdoors nest and have done from May onwards 

[in the hills]

All my hens are really good and lay in their nest boxes EXCEPT ..... the dreaded Friesian Fowl. They are bonkers. Not one egg in a nest box all year. Several lay about 5 ft up in a conifer hedge and are really difficult to find. My daughter spotted one leaving the hedge the other day and we found 40 eggs  . One hatched her eggs up there last year  . We have to carry out regular searches of hedges, high up and at the base, otherwise they tend to go broody and feed Mr Fox. We have tried everything but can't get them to lay in the coops. Just pop a rubber egg in any nest sites we find and hope they carry on laying in the same spot at least for a while  .

[omnipeasant]

So,,,, four of them are laying now. One in the stables, one in the woodshed, one behind a bush and  one in the laying box!!
At least I know where to go and look for eggs every day.

[northfifeduckling]

2 have decided to go and moult, that explains some...one still lays under a leaned on old mattress, 2 in the nest box and one in the hopital wing, not bad! At least I think they don't eat them any more 

[omnipeasant]

We shoukld go into business nfd. That is 10 eggs between us per day!!

[Mrs Snoodles]

The girls need to learn where to lay their eggs.  Yes make it dark and cosy, but also limit their ranging for a bit so they can get the hang of it.  Keep the eggs in there, maybe Mark with a cross the ones that are laid earlier so you can at least use the ones they lay when they get the hang of it.  Golf balls in too.   You should find that most lay in the early part of the day, so if you are feeling a bit sorry for them not having more space, you could let them out later good luck!

[northfifeduckling]

oh, they do know, Mrs S - after 2 years no problems they decided laying elsewhere is more to their liking  . Just takes one to be strong-willed and show the others. they probably learned it from the ducks

[Mrs Snoodles]

oh, they do know, Mrs S - after 2 years no problems they decided laying elsewhere is more to their liking  . Just takes one to be strong-willed and show the others. they probably learned it from the ducks

Naughty naughty chickens! You're gonna have to be stricter. Get that whip out!

[omnipeasant]

Awww Mrs Snoodles, I'll never makre a chicken farmer, but I love my pet chooks and I am getting 4 eggs per day from 5 chickens. The other is a few weeks younger so that is okay. I have tried being the evil hen keeper and keeping them in until mid day, but it breaks my heart and they justcross their legs and run to their chosen laying spot when I loose them. I don't mind picking up eggs if they stick to the same place. Queenie the silver sussex is laying in one of my stables, but she doesn't mind if the horse is still in there so no problem. The horse is an arab so she will be perfectly safe.