Do chickens lay at night?

[vermontgal]

OK, I'll jump on the "stupid questions" bandwagon...
Do chickens get down off the roost at night to lay, or do they "hold it" until morning?

 

[CarlaRiggs]

I've never heard of a hen laying at night; however, with chickens ya just never know!

Generally when chickens get up on the roost for the night, they're sleeping somewhat and stay there. Once mine are in the roost, even for just a few minutes, I can't even call them down with treats. Silly girls.

Roosters have been known to crow in the middle of the night, though. But I can't imagine a hen laying an egg. Perhaps at the crack of dawn.

Carla

 

[stilwellchick]

Mine have laid at night right on the roost too.

 

[basicliving]

Quote:
Mine too - when they first started laying I found an egg or two right under the roosts when I let them out at daybreak. My soft shell layer especially - she laid her first 5 or 6 right from the roost. Now that they've been laying a while, I haven't found any more under the roosts in the AM.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Some of mine have layed at night on the roost too. Few just lay at night, apparently they are a bit confused as to what time to lay their eggs.

 

[vermontgal]

Well, I can see that when a hen is new to egg laying, that it might be a case of when she gotta go, she gotta go.

Laying on the roost... don't the eggs crack when they drop? Maybe I should tighten up the space between my droppings board and the roost? It's just over a foot drop.

 

[MissPrissy]

Yes, they can lay at night.

With egg production usually on a 25 hour cycle it will happen periodically as the cycle goes through it phases.

 

[waynesgarden]

Yes, occasionally. As Miss P says, they are on a 25 hour (or so) cycle but most birds will get accustomed to "holding it" until morning.

Otherwise, most of my birds' eggs here would be laid in the dark during the long winter nights.

Wayne

 

[JennsPeeps]

I once found a mystery egg in the coop. I couldn't fiugre out how it got there. I finally realized that my BLS had sleep-laid from the roost.

she only did it once, and the others never have.

 

[krjwaj]

I'd say if they have light to see by, they might (if nature calls). When our girls go to bed, they seems to settle in and stay in one spot til morning...or so we think. We have found eggs in the nesting box right after sunrise though.