Can I watch my hen lay?

[tammyd57]

I was 5 years old when I caught my first egg at my grandma's house. She sent me out to get some eggs and there weren't any so I just waited and waited for this one hen to get up. When she just sat there I reached under to see if she was sitting on an egg, and 'plop' right in my hand! I've watched and caught many many eggs since then. It's always amazing to me.

 

[Cindilou]

I know this is an old thread but I just want to clarify: if I accidentally interrupted my hen while she was laying when I went to get eggs she will most likely get back up there and finish the job. I am paranoid because I lost a girl who was eggbound and didn't realize she was having a problem.
Thanks

 

[Carrie Lynn]

My brand new-to-laying BA laid an egg in my lap.
I noticed her trying to duck under the RIR, it was as though she was trying to hide.
I had no idea what was about to happen, and wanted to comfort her, she seemed distressed. I picked her up and she hid her head in my coat, so I sat there and calmed her. A moment later I felt a plop in my lap, I thought she had pooped on me. After a while I thought she had calmed down and I stood up to put her back in the coop, and the egg rolled onto the ground and broke. It was a strange experience, poor thing she probably didn't know what was happening and felt frightened.

 

[marcumbackyardfarms]

Most of mine will but some of them will jump if I start to watch.

 

[ScotianChick]

I've watched all of my girls lay. Two by accident. I opened the door to get some eggs and there they were straining with all of their might and laid eggs! But they don't like to be watched. My RIR Alabama though, she doesn't want a chicken near the coop, I could watch her lay an egg and she won't even blink. Another chicken comes in, watch out! It's a drama fest in there!

 

[Cindilou]

She went back up and finished the job. She just got agitated that I opened the box, I suppose.

 

[KBlue]

Depends on the chicken. Some don't care, some like a little privacy. One time, a hen that I was selling at a flea market laid an egg in the display cage in front of a family with some younger kids. They got a real kick out of it so I let them keep the egg!