Where are my eggs?!

I like the fact that my chickens are free range.  They are happy to see me in the morning and anxious to get out for the day.  One thing I didn't know was that chickens will head to the chicken coop on their own before dark to roost for the night so it's easy to close them up each night.  Works great for them because they feel safe from predators at night and it works for me because I know where they are. 

But here's the problem.  Free range means laying eggs in the woods, under farm equipment, wherever they feel the urge.  It's frustrating to feed 10 hens and only get 2 eggs in the nest each day.  When you do find them in the woods or under the shed, you don't have any idea how long they've been out there.  Could be a day or two, could be two weeks, who knows?  So I have decided they need a chicken yard.  I told Fred I'd like to have a big chicken yard with the chicken coop inside.  Free range with limits, that's the way to go. 

We host a scout troop each year for a big campout and they are always asking what service they can do for us while they are here, to say thanks for the weekend.  Guess what they're doing this year?  Yep, a chicken yard.