[Feathers]

I have had my hens for just under a year and what a joy they are - they have been fab layers and have always laid in the house (chicken house obviously) but yesterday morning we noticed we only had 2 eggs and this morning we found the 3rd in the bushes, within 5 mins of us collecting the 3rd egg, ginger was sat back there laying.  Is there a reason for her change in location?  thanks peeps

[compostqueen]

they will lay away so you're right to do a tally to make sure you have your full contingent of eggs as it can be that they're laid away or a hen has stopped laying, which makes you look for reasons why.  If they free range sometimes she can't get back to the nesting box in time to lay or there's another hen using it, so they just find the nearest handy bush or pampas grass    You could keep them confined to their run until they've laid and eaten a ration of pellets and then let them out for the day.

[8doubles]

It is because when she lays her eggs in the nestbox somebody steals them.

[tiptopchickendon]

May want to check for the dreaded Red Mite... that another reason why she wouldn't lay in the nestbox

[8doubles]

May want to check for the dreaded Red Mite... that another reason why she wouldn't lay in the nestbox

Redmite tend not to be very active during the day so do not interfere with laying . If the hen does not want to roost in the coop it may be redmite.
Also if there was a bad infestation of mite the hen would stop laying.