Can a hen hold in her egg?

[Foghornnmsprisy]

Ok, so it's pouring down rain here and I go out to check on the chickens. Now two more eggs have appeared. But theses are smaller and paler than our first egg. So I'm thinking its game on in the chicken coup. One egg must have been a surprise because I found it under the roosts, in the poo and cracked. I won't be posting pics of that one.

 

[iwiw60]

Ok, so it's pouring down rain here and I go out to check on the chickens. Now two more eggs have appeared. But theses are smaller and paler than our first egg. So I'm thinking its game on in the chicken coup. One egg must have been a surprise because I found it under the roosts, in the poo and cracked. I won't be posting pics of that one.

Reading your post made me laugh out loud!! I have 4 Black Australorp gals. When they first started laying #1 hen laid her first egg in nest box #1 (and still does to this day). Then there's Ms. Neurotic...oh boy! She laid her first egg while up on the roost, and like you it was plopped into the poop tray...oh great. The other two share either of the 2 nest boxes in the coop. Back to Ms. Neurotic...that hen to this day lays her egg up on the roost bar!!! But I have her figured out somewhat...I always make sure I go into the coop early in the morning, do poop patrol and smooth out the PDZ for a clean poop tray.




I've never been able to break her of this habit. I guess when her first egg popped out while still on the roost she figures "okay, guess that's where I'm supposed to be laying!" ....aaaack!!

 

[Outpost JWB]

Yeap. I think that is how they think. That's her spot now.

Foghornmsprisy

 

[Free Feather]

I wonder if they can hold it though. If I keep my hens in until later in the day, they act like they have been holding it. I have one that likes to lay in the pig barn. When I let her out, she sprints over there to her favorite spot, like "Get out of the way, I cannot hold it anymore!"

 

[aart]

I too think they can hold it....have had a pullet get out of the nest for scratch treats then dash back to lay.

 

[iwiw60]

I too think they can hold it....have had a pullet get out of the nest for scratch treats then dash back to lay.

They sure can! Just today I had one of my girls, who was in the coop in a nesting box, bolt out of the coop because she heard me throwing scratch to the others out in the run....so funny!! Ate a little, then darted right back in! Chickens....go figure....

 

[RonP]

IQuote:

They sure can! Just today I had one of my girls, who was in the coop in a nesting box, bolt out of the coop because she heard me throwing scratch to the others out in the run....so funny!! Ate a little, then darted right back in! Chickens....go figure....

don't know why, but I envisioned her eating with her legs crossed...

 

[Foghornnmsprisy]

So it looks like the verdict is ...yes. But they can only hold "it" probley about as long as we can hold "it". Can't wait to see them do the "egg dance" instead of our "pee pee dance". Very interesting. We were making a lot of noise installing boxes to a metal frame building. But Mable would not leave and was actually getting in the way. Now I know why she was giving us the bug eye. Sorry Mable.

 

[iwiw60]

IQuote:


don't know why, but I envisioned her eating with her legs crossed...

 

[10whiskers]

Reading your post made me laugh out loud!! I have 4 Black Australorp gals. When they first started laying #1 hen laid her first egg in nest box #1 (and still does to this day). Then there's Ms. Neurotic...oh boy! She laid her first egg while up on the roost, and like you it was plopped into the poop tray...oh great. The other two share either of the 2 nest boxes in the coop. Back to Ms. Neurotic...that hen to this day lays her egg up on the roost bar!!! But I have her figured out somewhat...I always make sure I go into the coop early in the morning, do poop patrol and smooth out the PDZ for a clean poop tray.




I've never been able to break her of this habit. I guess when her first egg popped out while still on the roost she figures "okay, guess that's where I'm supposed to be laying!" ....aaaack!!

I love your roost/ poop area. My coop is metal, so I have to build everything as a standalone fixture. After I read about the egg ending up broken and in the poop, I've been thinking of another way. The picture above looks like it would suit me and the girls perfectly.