Egg laying behavior

[Nardo]

So they lay (generally) every 28 hours and sort of work their way around the clock. So it seems as if they skip a day because they won't lay at night. And some chickens only lay 200 eggs (throw in any number here) a year, so you won't get one from them each day either. Actually, it's a wonder we can even figure any of this out when we have more than one breed and more than one hen...LOL

 

[WVduckchick]

It's up to you to decide. But the longer you wait to collect eggs after the hens deposit them, the greater the risks are of damage. Too many eggs accumulating in a nest increases the likelihood of breakage as a hen gets on and off the pile and deposits her own egg.

It also increases the risk that a hen might be tempted to break into the eggs and become an egg eater. Once a hen adopts this habit, it's very hard to break.

Most of us collect eggs each day. I collect several times a day because I've seen my share of breakage when I let them accumulate.

I have an egg eater right now!

 

[apryl29]

I have an egg eater right now!

I recently found an egg shell on the floor that was apparently eaten. It's only happened the one time. Is it possible that your girls need more calcium?

So they lay (generally) every 28 hours and sort of work their way around the clock. So it seems as if they skip a day because they won't lay at night. And some chickens only lay 200 eggs (throw in any number here) a year, so you won't get one from them each day either. Actually, it's a wonder we can even figure any of this out when we have more than one breed and more than one hen...LOL

I have 7 different breeds. The only one I can tell for sure is my bantam b/c she lays tiny white eggs. I have 4 eggers, 2 lay blue & 2 lay olive eggs so I can kinda of tell who's laying those. Then I have 7 others who lay brown eggs. I can't tell whose is whose, but I can kind of guess... I seem to be getting better consistency from my bantam than anyone else even though I've switched to higher protein feed and have been keeping their oyster shell bowl filled. Of 12 birds, the most I've had in one day is 8 and that was just once. I do get random soft shell eggs periodically, but everyone seems to be laying.

 

[azygous]

Have you seen this nifty roll out nest to prevent egg eating?

 

[WVduckchick]

Have you seen this nifty roll out nest to prevent egg eating?

Ya know, sometimes I just wanna smack my own forehead, or better yet, let someone else smack me! LOL Thank you, thank you!

I'm going to have to draw up some plans to adapt the boxes, because I can't increase collection times.

 

[azygous]

I love this design so much, I'm thinking of adapting my nest boxes, even though I have no egg eaters. I'm thinking of how it will prevent broken eggs.

Just a few scraps of plywood glued together and stick it into the nest box after I pull off the pieces of wood now nailed across the front of the nest boxes, and we're in business!