i have 4 chickens in a small coop in my garden, i let them out in the afternoon...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nigel J
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Nigel J

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...when all eggs have been laid-? in the evening they go back to the coop by themselves, my question is if i let the chickens out in the morning to free range would they go back to the coop to lay the eggs or is it more possible that they would lay where ever they are and i would have to search the garden for eggs?
 
It is more possible that they will lay in your garden and you will have to search for them.

Very annoying!
 
They might go back in the coop or they might lay them under a bush or anywhere else they fancy although they will usually pick a few favourite spots and lay there most of the time.
 
TBH, it's pretty cruel leaving them locked up til the afternoon. Let them out first thing in the morning. They naturally go to lay where they are used to laying which by the sounds of it is in the nest boxes in the coop. Hens like to lay where it's draught -free, warm and dark so the likelihood that they'll lay in the garden is slim to none.

The more daylight, access to grass, grubs,feed and water will offer your hens the best environment keeping their health at a premium thus maximising egg production.

I currently have 10 hens all of whom are let out first thing and all lay in the nest boxes in the coop each day. If you need more info on looking after chickens, I'd recommend this site, http://www.henkeeping.co.uk
 
It is more likely, from living on a farm, that they will go back to the coop to lay. This is where they feel safe.
 
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