Can they hold their eggs?

[bobbi-j]

I have a flock of free-range chickens which means that sometimes they don't lay in the coop and I don't get any eggs. Well, today I decided that I wanted some eggs so I left them in the coop/run until 2 this afternoon. As soon as I let them out, one of the EEs made a beeline for the old barn where I know she's been laying (if I don't get down there soon enough, Cleo the barn cat gets the egg before I do - I think she listens for the egg song and knows exactly when there's a fresh egg for her!) Anyway, it just makes me curious. Can they "hold it" until they are able to get to where they want to lay? If I didn't let them out, wouldn't she eventually have to lay that egg somewhere? Maybe hers are the ones I find in the run when they don't get let out for the day - it's the same color....

 

[cassidy22]

I think they will try. I have seen a turkey lay an egg while running down the street, trying to get to her nest she has hidden in the neighbors yard (still can't find it)
You may have to lock them in their nesting boxes for several days to break their habit, Chickens really are creatures of habit. You need to get them to want to be in their nest boxes (are they big enough? Fresh bedding? too much light? Why don't they want to be there? And you may either need to lock them in there, until they start to lay, and adopt it as their new nest, and somehow block off their current laying area to they are forced to find something new. We have similar problems, we have interlopers who leave their coop, go to the barn, lay eggs in the sheep mangers, and then go back to their coop to sleep. Silly chickens! Thankfully, sheep don't eat eggs.

 

[bobbi-j]

I have seen a turkey lay an egg while running down the street

This paints a very funny picture! The nest boxes are big enough and have fresh bedding. I have this issue every year when I let them out to free-range for the summer. I'm not too worried about it. I just think it's funny to watch them scurry off to their hidden nests after I let them out. Oh, and I got the egg before Cleo did today

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[Jenny28]

I'm pretty sure they can!! My husband was tilling our garden in the spring and one of the girls kept harassing him over and over until finally he gave her a gentle whack with the spade, she let out a loud cluck and an egg popped out and went rolling down the yard!

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

I don't think they can hold it for long, but I am certain that they try!

 

[gmendoza]

They can put a piece of tape on their vents to help the holding process.

Just make sure they are not using duck tape,then egg could hatch out a duck

or gorilla tape either.......

 

[Jenny28]

Quote:
OH, MY.

 

[christina1982]

Quote:

My husband walked in and saw it and said "Is that what y'all do to them poor chickens?" LOL!

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:

My husband walked in and saw it and said "Is that what y'all do to them poor chickens?" LOL!

 

[LT]

Quote:
I have nine chickens who are 23 weeks old. One of them is laying and has been laying since August 14. I swear the others are making a conscious effort to not lay just to torture me. One of them sits in a different nest box while Annabelle is laying, and then when Annabelle is finished, she gets up and started cackling, like SHE is the one who laid an egg. They are seriously making me nuts. I WANT AN OMELET!!!!!