Clean Coop=Clean Nest=Clean Eggs That Don't Need Washing

[CEO]

It's at the washing step that this happens, so refrigeration has nothing to do with whether the egg is contaminated, but only slows the growth of contamination.

Honestly, unless people are alcoholing and freezing eggs, I doubt there is much difference in risk between unsoiled/unwashed eggs vs washed/refrigerated. Over storage duration the risk from bacterial growth will rise in either case depending on storage conditions and/or whether there was any contamination. With outcomes so similar it's surprising this topic is controversial (just look at UK vs US - one washes, one doesn't, no mass die-offs). To each their own!

Not what I’m saying smh

 

[K0k0shka]

I'm skipping over all the drama because this caught my attention but nobody mentioned it:

4. Have at least 3-4 nest boxes per chicken and train them to use them all, not crowd into one. Whether you have 3 chickens or 300, the traffic per box and ease of keeping them clean will be the same.

Shouldn't that be the other way around? 3-4 chickens per nesting box? Otherwise, if you had 20 chickens (not an unreasonable number), 80 nesting boxes would be a bit much (definitely an unreasonable number).

Also, it's not true that the traffic per box would be the same regardless of the total number of chickens. Chickens tend to have favorite boxes that get overused. So if all your chickens want the same box but you have 5 chickens, vs. all want the same box but you have 15 chickens, that one box will get a hell of a lot more traffic in the second case vs. the first. And it will get a lot more traffic than the other boxes in both cases.

The original post sounds well-intentioned, but a bit patronizing and the information isn't very accurate. It also doesn't add anything new since there's already a lot on the subject on BYC - on all the subjects actually (washing eggs, keeping nests/feet/coops clean, etc.)

 

[CEO]

I'm skipping over all the drama because this caught my attention but nobody mentioned it:


Shouldn't that be the other way around? 3-4 chickens per nesting box? Otherwise, if you had 20 chickens (not an unreasonable number), 80 nesting boxes would be a bit much (definitely an unreasonable number).

Also, it's not true that the traffic per box would be the same regardless of the total number of chickens. Chickens tend to have favorite boxes that get overused. So if all your chickens want the same box but you have 5 chickens, vs. all want the same box but you have 15 chickens, that one box will get a hell of a lot more traffic in the second case vs. the first. And it will get a lot more traffic than the other boxes in both cases.

The original post sounds well-intentioned, but a bit patronizing and the information isn't very accurate. It also doesn't add anything new since there's already a lot on the subject on BYC - on all the subjects actually (washing eggs, keeping nests/feet/coops clean, etc.)

Probably a miss type

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have five nests for 20 hens and they all want to use one nest, lol. When traffic really backs up they will use a second and sometimes a third nest, but I have determined that what has been called the "egg song" is really a "shift yer arse, you've been on that nest long enough, it's my turn" song.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have five nests for 20 hens and they all want to use one nest, lol. When traffic really backs up they will use a second and sometimes a third nest, but I have determined that what has been called the "egg song" is really a "shift yer arse, you've been on that nest long enough, it's my turn" song.

The other day, I went into the coop and saw that my broody Silkie's poof was muddy. I was confused how she managed to get it muddy.

Then I realized that one of my duckies had nibbled her feathers trying to get her to vacate the box.

(And according to OP, she trained each of her hens to use a different box).

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The other day, I went into the coop and saw that my broody Silkie's poof was muddy. I was confused how she managed to get it muddy.

Then I realized that one of my duckies had nibbled her feathers trying to get her to vacate the box.

(And according to OP, she trained each of her hens to use a different box).

Yeah, I asked her to elaborate on how she did that, but got no response.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I asked at the beginning of the thread and am including the reply here. Too much work for me and I've only got 6 hens (plus duck hens, but they are separate). @Aunt Angus @BigBlueHen53

I only have 12 laying girls, so when my pullets started to lay, I would place them in the nests, a different nest each time. All the nests had wood eggs. If two tried to get into the nest, I would remove one. I know this is hands on, but all training, whether chickens, dogs, or kids, takes time and your shadow. Now my pullets will wait their turn if all the boxes are full.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I asked at the beginning of the thread and am including the reply here. Too much work for me and I've only got 6 hens (plus duck hens, but they are separate). @Aunt Angus @BigBlueHen53

I had no idea that training chickens, dogs, and kids took time and patience. And she really couldn't see why her posts were ill-received....

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I had no idea that training chickens, dogs, and kids took time and patience. And she really couldn't see why her posts were ill-received....

I have 20 laying hens and this is simply not practical. Not sitting out in the hen house all day watching hens lay, I do have a life. But I did ask how she trained them, so good to hear the process. Guess I missed it the first time, thanks for re-posting.

(My hens don't like to lay if they have an audience.)

 

[629522]

I have five nests for 20 hens and they all want to use one nest, lol. When traffic really backs up they will use a second and sometimes a third nest, but I have determined that what has been called the "egg song" is really a "shift yer arse, you've been on that nest long enough, it's my turn" song.

This made me giggle snort. Thank you