[orchardlady]

This is possibly an impossible question. I have some lovely young Warren pullets that have settled beautifully into my flock of free ranging hens. They started laying in the hen house (in the nest boxes) but have now decided to lay out. I have found two locations that two of them are using but the other 6 must be laying somewhere so secret I just cannot find their nests. I have looked and looked and spend quite la large portion of my time looking like I've come out of a hedge backwards because I have! I cannot pen them off within the hen house in the middle as everyone else will not be able to range free or get back in. Any suggestions? The hen house is large and spacious with plenty of nest boxes although I note that my established flock tend to like to lay in just a few of the boxes and not the others.

[trish25158]

Are you sure that they are laying, because mine are only laying quite sporadically at the moment (big word for this time of day)? 

[joyfull]

if you do find where they are laying then remove all but a couple of eggs (mark these with a pencil date so you know to remove them another day leaving fresh laid ones - or replace with false eggs - plastic, rubber or pot ones). If you remove all the eggs then they will find another better hidden spot as sadly I have found to my cost - somewhere I have a huge appenzeller egg mountain but I'm blowed if I can find it 
I too have done the hedge backwards look 

[orchardlady]

Hum...When I bought these eight Warrens I also bought four more for a friend as a gift. Speaking to her today she thinks that hers have not started laying yet, so trish25158 you may be right. Maybe only two are laying and the others are very nearly there but not quite and I'm looking for non existent eggs.....

I'll pop some crock eggs in the two secret locations too, excellent idea. Thanks Joyfull.

I did think of trying to find a plywood box and tucking that into the hedgerow as a lure place to lay. What do you think?

[joyfull]

you could try it but I bet they will then find somewhere else to lay - they like to have their secret places and keep us guessing 

[compostqueen]

Last year my friend, who has a lot of hens, complained to me, after seeing my full egg rack, that my three laid more than all hers put together. She reckoned they must be laying away and we started a thorough search. We found 30 eggs in the pampas grass    We checked them all and they were all ok to eat   

[orchardlady]

Well a little time has passed since I put up the original question and I think I've come to the conclusion that only two of the darlings are actually laying.

I put crock eggs in their secret nest places and they didn't like that at all, one decided to find a new layout nest and the other decided the duck house was cool.

I have often bought POL birds in September (just like this occasion) so that they lay through the winter and I've never had a problem. They have always done me proud and supplied the goods. So what's going on gang? Why do I have two laying and six not. They have come from the same breeder, at the same time, from the same 'batch'. Everyone is looking perky and bright they free range and have lovely bright red wattles and combs. Any ideas people?

[tom86420]

I would check on your hens regularly to see if they are actually laying ! Are they eating their own eggs???

[orchardlady]

I'm nearly 100% certain they are not eating theirs or any one else's eggs.

[Sassy]

Like people they are all individuals and do their own thing re laying. Doubtless they'll start laying after Christmas.

[hillfooter]

Well a little time has passed since I put up the original question and I think I've come to the conclusion that only two of the darlings are actually laying.

I put crock eggs in their secret nest places and they didn't like that at all, one decided to find a new layout nest and the other decided the duck house was cool.

I have often bought POL birds in September (just like this occasion) so that they lay through the winter and I've never had a problem. They have always done me proud and supplied the goods. So what's going on gang? Why do I have two laying and six not. They have come from the same breeder, at the same time, from the same 'batch'. Everyone is looking perky and bright they free range and have lovely bright red wattles and combs. Any ideas people?

It's amazing what a change in temperature or weather can do.  Only yesterday my neighbour a farmer asked me if my hens had stopped laying as his had suddenly stopped and sure enough they had.  I recken night time temperatures have a big effect as well as reduced daylight due to bad weather.
HF

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

Hmmm, very interesting as my egg quota has been down lately but we've had a couple of mild nights now and I'm back up to six eggs from six girls (hybrids) for two days running now.

They really are fascinating little things how small environmental changes can affect them so markedly.