Do hens lay their eggs before a certain time of the day?

[cajunlizz]

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LOL Its to funny . Who has who trained ... LOL

Why not just turn them loose and leave the coop open with full access to come and go , like normal hens do that are NOT trained ... LMAO

 

[Davaroo]

Its actually better for you to have knowledge of their patterns and if possible "train" them to lay around the same time.

This makes collecting and record keeping easier to arrange. It helps you spot diffculties sooner, too, should they arise, since anything out of the ordinary is obvious.

The more "free spirited" among us will probably disagree, but it is always better to work towards a disciplined chicken yard. Chickens do better that way, being habitual creatures.
So it is with all livestock.
When you can get it down to a regular pattern, YOU get more done with less effort, freeing you to do other things

 

[2boxers]

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It's pretty clear to the rest of us, though

Your post is incredibly informative and helpful (as well as funny!). Thank you.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

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It's pretty clear to the rest of us, though

Your post is incredibly informative and helpful (as well as funny!). Thank you.

You're quite welcome. Glad my Obsessive/Compulsive ways could be an entertainment around here.

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Yeah. That would make sense in most situations. But, my girls are city girls and my yard is small (25' X 64') which includes my whopping big orange tree, a lemon tree, an oversized patio (whose idea was that, certainly not mine - takes up too much of the yard and is a chicken poop magnet), a smallish patch of grass, roses, chamomile, etc. Then, the chicken coop and the veggie garden sit behind a picket fence in an 11' X 25' area. So yes, I could leave the chicken coop open, and thus would need to leave the gate open to the VEGGIES. Just how many of those do you think the chickens would leave for ME at the end of the day? Ungrateful creatures!

See my avatar for an idea of what I'm dealing with here.

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Yeah? I'd like to love to see you attempt that! It is fun knowing their patterns, tho. It's interesting to note who has stopped laying. Within a couple of weeks after cessation of laying, suddenly the coop becomes a feather factory! I don't think I've ever read anywhere that the laying stops BEFORE the moult, but it's happened to each and every one of my girls.

Oh, and speaking of training. One of my girls knows how to open the picket fence if it's ajar. I need to video tape that one of these days. It's a riot!

Backyard Buddies
(Who works from home and enjoys the chicken entertainment outside the doldrums of the workspace).

 

[chicknmania]

Ours lay all the way up to late afternoon. Personally I think they lay when they get bored

And most of ours hate nest boxes; anywhere but there. On a recent hot day I saw one of our hens behind a running fan; couldn't figure out what she was doing til she plopped an egg out on the workbench the fan was sitting on! Hey, if you have to lay, why not be comfortable, too?

 

[holliewould]

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WOW. This makes me want to start a chicken blog now. Thanks for the info.

Cajunlizz, I do let them out all day. Like I said, I want to make sure they lay in their nest boxes and not under the shed or something.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

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Quite welcome! If you do, share the info with us. I love chicken blogs, and especially love the Hen Cam website.
http://www.hencam.com/index.php

 

[Davaroo]

Yeah? I'd like to love to see you attempt that!

I said something like... "and if possible "train" them to lay around the same time.

Perhaps training gives the wrong impression. Regulating them is more like it. I dont profess that it would be easy, or even have any firm guidlines on how to do it. I've read somewhere how it can be managed, although I dont recall where, now. I have a vague idea, but before I say anything, I'll have to research it a bit and see what I can find.

But, doesn't it seem like a worthwhile goal to work towards? Imagine if in a couple of years of selective work you had nothing but quality layers that layed before noon, just as an example, each and every day.
None of the randomeness Im hearing here, the laying of eggs now - or then - or maybe later.
Instead, you would know both WHO was laying and when. If something wasn't right you would know that right away, too.

Don't that sound grand?​

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Well, if you ever find that info, Elderoo, I'd be interested in reading it. However, using my tiny flock as an example (yes, I know, hardly a scientific sample), I would think it would probably not be as successful as you think. My girl who nearly always lays before noon, lays the fewest number of eggs per year. My girl who lays as late as 4 pm, lays the greatest number. Could it be that there'd be a cost to having chickens lay all before noon?

See, now there's an easier answer to know who is laying and when. First, work from home as I do, then have a very small flock and keep meticulous records. Then you know EXACTLY who is due to lay and when. What? Did I lose everyone? Oh yeah, it was probably when I said "have a very small flock." Yep, that'd be a problem for most folks here!

 

[terrid856]

That all sounds like WAY too much work for me!!! I'm not in the egg laying business and would much rather enjoy my girls and the rest of my animals. I say, God bless you and all your notes, logs and rosters. I got exhausted just reading it LOL. 2 yrs now, I let em out of their run around noon and praise God I get eggs! Seems if they didn't lay by them, they go back in and lay later. I pick those up when I go at dark and lock the ladies up. Lovin my ladies