Do Chickens lay Eggs when they are Sleeping?

[bywaterdog]

I have a mature flock (1 1/2 year old) of Buff Orpingtons who lay everyday in their nests. Every month or so however I find an egg below their roosting bars on the coop floor. This is happening at night as I don't see the egg when I put them up for the evening.
I know that in the scope of chicken problems this would rate pretty low, but I am curious.

What I want to know is, "do chickens have "egg dreams?" Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

I get eggs laid on the roost once in awhile, it's not uncommon. The eggs are almost always abnormal when I find them though, soft shells, no shells, no yolks, thin shells, etc.

 

[Mahonri]

Once in a while I'll find a normal egg underneath the roost.

Sometimes I will see the evidence of one... and pray that the birds don't become regular egg eaters.

 

[4 luv of eggs]

Quote:
You've eased my mind a bit. Mine have been laying a little over a week and I found one crushed on the roost bar this morning. It had to have happened in her sleep as the OP said. I was fearful that I had an egg eater but it didn't look like any had been eaten and no one had egg on her face. It seemed soft shelled.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Sometimes eggs just happen where ever. I have seen my hens in the yard, walking about and suddenly leave an egg just as easy and sudden as they would leave some poop. Or I just find them in the yard or under the perches. However they are great nest layers and these yard or coop eggs are rare. For 80 - 100 hens I find 1 or 2 a week at most.