< 24-hour interval between eggs

[centrarchid]

I have a free range hen (American game) that I have been watching closely as part of an experiment. The last four eggs have been produced at or less than 24 hour intervals. I was present for direct observation of egg being laid or could connfirm occurence prior to a certain time. Most papers I have read indicate more than 24 hours required between eggs but one paper I can not find indicates under proper conditions, a 23 hour interval possible. My conditions are not special. Anyone also watch closely enough to determine actual interval between eggs produced?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

All I can say is that women's cycles are not all the exact same number of days. Many are, but some are not. I would imagine the same could be true with chickens.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have some hens that regularly lay at the same time each day. My one green egg layer has an egg waiting for me early every day. But some lay in an irregular pattern.

I've pretty consistently read that the egg takes about 25 hours from the time it starts its journey through the hen's internal egg laying factory until it is laid, but I have not read anything specific on what starts the egg on its journey other than "hormones". Well, what triggers those hormones? I don't know and I can't find anything that I can believe. I have not read anything I believe that would tie the start of one egg to when a hen lays an egg.

I suspect that it has something to do with daylight. With a hen needing to lay in a nest instead of on the roost, it would be logical that her internal clock would start an egg in the morning so it would be laid the next morning. But I don't know this. I am only guessing. Most of mine lay in the morning, but not all do. Maybe that disproves my theory.

I have not observed a hen laying at less than a 24 hour period regularly, but I have observed more following a 24 hour pattern than I have seen following a different pattern. Most of mine lay in the morning.

 

[DavidC]

I have the same question. I have been observing my two chickens as much as possible. Today, being a Sunday, I was able to watch them all day. At about 10:30 AM there were no eggs. At about 11:00AM I observed the one on the nest. This one has been laying for about a week. At 11:30AM I found two eggs, one small and one large, in the nest. Later, at about 10:00PM, I found an egg that only had a thin membrane which I had been finding about every two to three days before. I believe that the thin membranes have been coming for the one chicken. I think that the one chicken laid two eggs in one setting. Is that possible?

 

[centrarchid]

Hen I am watching produce her second clutch of eggs is now up to 14 eggs. I saw her enter and leave nest most days and could determine even when such observations not made that egg deposition, after third egg, occured between hours of 1100 and 1200.


Intervals averaged right at 24 hours, actually somewhat less since first egg laid at 1330. The common knowledge concerning egg deposition occuring at greater than 24 hours is male bovine feces.

 

[NYREDS]

Watching closely to see when a hen lays an eggg.....is that a Zen exercise or something? I don't have the patience.

 

[Laigaie]

I've heard of plenty of chickens with 22hr laying cycles, with shell-less eggs more often than that, sometimes.

 

[centrarchid]

Two my knowledge, my flocks have never produced a shell-less egg. That may be more than a timing issue as such eggs were produced frequently at a large commercial laying hen facilty I worked at while in school. In the commmercial setting boss was very concerned about diet and stress. My free range birds presently getting a diet that is hard to beat. Natural forage including a periodic cicada hatch plus supplemental diet I keep out during day.

 

[MuskokaChick]

my hens started laying well over a month ago. They were laying around noon and from what I read it was a 25 hour cycle, so I expected each day to be later in the day, but in fact they have been laying earlier each day. I now get eggs at 7:30 am...not sure when they were laid as I am not in there before that. So I don't know!!!

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
During work week I am still able to check for eggs three times daily. Birds under what I consider optimal conditions are producing eggs at 24-hour intervals. Those unde lesser conditions definantly taking more time between eggs. Also to note, same hen being intensively monitored now was monitored for egg production back in February thru March was laying at ~29-hour intervals. Passage time of egg through reproductive tract is not always limiting factor for intervals between eggs.