Can You OUTSMART a Chicken?

No, you are not going to outsmart them. Mine keep me guessing all of the time. They have a perfectly good set of nest boxes on one wall. They found an unused feed bucket that they liked in an empty horse stall and I finally moved that to their "stall". They used that daily. Then I noticed that they would try to double up in it if one didn't get out quick enough. So I put a cardboard box on the shelf behind it and left the flap up on the outer side for them to "hide". Put a couple of them in, they promptly got out. Next day, 2 eggs in it... day after that all 4 eggs are in it... nobody wants anything to do with the bucket now. Now they wait in line (or double up) for the cardboard box... Go figure.

I too just had this same experience. Each nest I have found in the last 3 days has had a minimum of 14 eggs. My newly laying Easter Eggers are HOARDERS! We too have set up "bait" nests inside the yard and just outside the coop. As of today they are still free ranging all day, but this may change for a while as well. We keep several roosters within the flock and that is my main worry having then locked down in their yard all day. I don't have rooster problems now....and don't want to start by forcing confinement.

Chickens will be chickens. They never fail to surprise and always have something new for you. This is a great story about how chickens can get the best of us.

All I can say is, yes exactly!

So funny ! I love reading chicken stories, especially when you giggle and nod yes the whole time! Too funny!! (on a side note, maybe it's time to employ some dummy eggs where you want them to lay, will they figure that out, too?!) haha!

Great adventure!

I can totally see ME!!! Lol

Good one! We've all been there at some point, so it's fun to know that we're not the only ones being outwitted by a wily hen. I sure hope they figure it out soon, though - those Welsummer eggs are gorgeous!