Hiding eggs

[Coopmom56]

My 6-7 month old EE Hazel lays pretty blue eggs - 2-3 a week. Her friend Peaches, also an EE, lays one almost every day. Today, when I went to take some leftover salad out to the girls, Hazel didn't show up. I went looking for her and heard her clucking softly, from what sounded like under half of a dog crate sitting against the fence. And THIS is what I found....

So while she's been laying a couple of times a week in the nest, she's been laying for at least two, maybe 3, weeks in her hidden hide-away. I guess she's a better layer than I gave her credit for! So.

1. Do I have to throw these eggs away? All are intact, they have been in the shade at all times, and our high temps have been in the high 80's most of the time.
2. We removed the temptation of the dog crate, but will this behavior continue? Do I need to egg hunt every day?

Thanks for the advice. While this is a pretty picture, I obviously would prefer she lay in the nest boxes like the rest of my little flock!

 

[itspebbl]

I can answer 1)
You can tell if the eggs are old by putting them in a container of water and if they float, they are bad and if they sink, they are fine. But you can decide whether you still want to eat to eat them

 

[Coopmom56]

I can answer 1)
You can tell if the eggs are old by putting them in a container of water and if they float, they are bad and if they sink, they are fine. But you can decide whether you still want to eat to eat them

They all sunk like rocks. Would you eat them? Fresh eggs are not so old-hat to me that I want to toss a dozen away without some thought.

 

[RoosterRiot]

The will also feel lighter and have a flatter (less glossy) finish to them as they loose some color. Within that clutch you should be able to pick out the newer ones.

If you still think they're good just open them one at a time and take a good look at them before cooking. Usually the yolk will look a little blotchy as it starts to go bad.

 

[aart]

Quote: The floating egg test only shows how much moisture had evaporated from the egg,
which enlarges the air sack and make the egg more buoyant,
which can kind of give you and idea of ho wold the egg is.

It won't tell you if it's rotten.

If eggs are fairly clean they are probably fine, tho now that you've gotten them wet they should be thoroughly washed and refrigerated.
Break egg one at a time in a separate dish, rather than directly into pan or recipe, and give them a good look and sniff.


You might need to retrain them to use the coop nests.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for 3-4 days (or longer) can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop 24/7 for a few days to a week, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[Coopmom56]

The floating egg test only shows how much moisture had evaporated from the egg,
which enlarges the air sack and make the egg more buoyant,
which can kind of give you and idea of ho wold the egg is.

It won't tell you if it's rotten.

If eggs are fairly clean they are probably fine, tho now that you've gotten them wet they should be thoroughly washed and refrigerated.
Break egg one at a time in a separate dish, rather than directly into pan or recipe, and give them a good look and sniff.


You might need to retrain them to use the coop nests.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for 3-4 days (or longer) can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop 24/7 for a few days to a week, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

Thanks, aart. I broke each egg separately into a bowl as I got ready to use them. Only one looked iffy, so I discarded that one, but we ate the others without any problems. I do have golf balls in the next for these fairly new layers, and all others lay there without incident, even when free-ranging. I will just check around the yard every couple of days, but Hazel laid in the nest yesterday. You provided good advice in case the problem persists!