Spring is on the way and winter is thawing. That means the chickens are excited to get laying again.
It also means that certain sneaky chickens are ready to jump out of their paddocks and find hiding places for their eggs.
The above picture is one of our chickens hiding in the hay tub I keep in the garage. That tub is supposed to hold the goats’ hay, so that I can easily grab a few flakes on my way outside to feed rather than needing to go all the way to the barn. Half of it is now designated to not one, not two, but four chickens who think it’s cool to jump the netting.
While is can be nothing more than an annoyance (you are missing out on those few eggs, after all), the big problems develop from eggs lying around and becoming a treat for wildlife. Such as raccoons and skunks.
Another problem that can arise is having eggs lying around for awhile in the hot sun and going bad. Really bad. Then, having those really bad, spoiled eggs breaking and causing a smell that will make you wish you couldn’t smell. (I had it happen once)
To know/guess if your chickens are laying somewhere else, keep an eye out for chickens getting out of the paddock. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are laying somewhere else, it is a good indicator if you notice the second step. Has your normal egg count gone down? While the number of eggs you get a day does fluctuate with chickens, if the normal range’s pattern is suddenly slightly lower and you haven’t lost any chickens, there’s a good chance someone is laying in a secret nest.
Chickens are sneaky and ornery, but they do lay good eggs.