Chicken Run Part 2: The Lost Eggs

Ok, I get it...really.

Free ranging hens by all standards is great in theory, but a tad bit impractical in some cases too.  OUR birds are a little slow in this learning process because while they happily much away the yummies in our grass AND have learned to come into the coop at sunset, they are completely clueless about laying their eggs in the coop.  Well, except for the big reds who might lay one or two (and who we've also been told are Rhode Island Reds...not Ameraucanas...no blue eggs, boo!).  The black mystery birds either forgot how to lay them, are completely backed up (unlikely) or we have some mega stash somewhere in the thicket we just can't get to.  Ugh!  Course the young Orpingtons aren't laying just yet and have taken a liking to the neighbor's pasture, following around cattle dutifully cleaning up all the little dung beetles.  BUT, if this behavior continues when they begin laying... we may never find eggs. 

We also have some barn holes to repair.  We've tried to encourage them to keep out of the barn and only enter their coop via the chicken door, by keeping the barn doors closed but instead they prefer to crawl under the doors and roost inside the barn...pooping on our workspace.  "Follow instructions gals"...honestly, it's like having 17 more children!


Oh, we did find an egg outside one day...UNDER one of the ATV's.  Getting closer, ladies!


We've decided to either lock them in the coop for a couple of weeks and bring them grass, etc. to help them better imprint where to lay OR we'll have to chicken wire an area for free ranging.  We're really praying that we'll just wake up one day and they'll have it all figured out.  Not likely though.  So, the saga continues with the crazy birds.  Even though the egg supply has been stalled they're still a blast to have around.  My personal favorite bird times are:

Dust baths...



Scratching for those perfect finds..."get it, Miss Bossy!"