The man who sold us the chickens explained that we could let them roam in the field. "It's called free range!" he said with a smile. He said that chickens are omnivores and will eat anything. They scratch the ground and eat seeds, insects or even animals like lizards or worms. They live together as a flock and they have a pecking order as to who is boss. They also tend to nest together in a communal place rather than build individual nests.
He told us to place a box with some hay in a particular place they frequent, safe from any predators, and if we put one or two eggs there, they'll get the idea and they'll lay their eggs there.
He explained that in production farming on a large scale they have even taught the hens to lay their eggs straight into the boxes which are then taken to the shops. Originally, before they were domesticated, chickens used to lay their eggs everywhere. Even on the motorway if it was not for the heavy traffic. Which explains why the chicken crossed the road but never laid an egg there.
Anyway, we had our twelve chickens and we placed a large box with hay near their coop and we waited to collect the eggs.
Nothing ... following day ... nothing ... and so on it went ... nothing!
The man who sold us the chicken explained that the hens have a hierarchy structure, a pecking order. I should discover which one is the boss, the manager or trade union leader or whatever; and follow her. Maybe the hens were all laying their eggs in another place.
So early the following morning I did just that. I got up before dawn and observed the chickens eating happily together. I noticed one of them wander off alone. I followed her. She got to the edge of the field and got out. I followed. She crossed the road. I followed. She walked down the road. I followed ... and that's when I discovered she was selling the eggs to the local supermarket.
