When I clean the poop boards in the morning and refill the feeder I usually lock out the chickens but sometimes a hen is sitting on a nest and so I do my chores while she gets ready to lay her egg.
Now twice I have seen a hen (different ones) get up from the nest without laying her egg. One of them even gave her egg song, but there was no egg. The other just got up and out...
Is that common? I was so surprised. Usually they stand up a bit and then a hear a little clink and there's the new egg. But not for those two...
Also, I have found an egg in the middle of the coop floor twice in this last week. I thought maybe they were layed on the run while they were jockeying for position to get out into the run in the morning when I open the door, maybe? They always hear me get their water ready and rake the litter and make a lot of noise clamoring to get out and eat their morning treat. Or could they just be laying them from the roost? Or toss it out of the nest?
Now twice I have seen a hen (different ones) get up from the nest without laying her egg. One of them even gave her egg song, but there was no egg. The other just got up and out...
Is that common? I was so surprised. Usually they stand up a bit and then a hear a little clink and there's the new egg. But not for those two...
Also, I have found an egg in the middle of the coop floor twice in this last week. I thought maybe they were layed on the run while they were jockeying for position to get out into the run in the morning when I open the door, maybe? They always hear me get their water ready and rake the litter and make a lot of noise clamoring to get out and eat their morning treat. Or could they just be laying them from the roost? Or toss it out of the nest?