So..... once the ladies start laying..... Do I have to collect the eggs immediately? What if I am gone 24-48 hours? Would I need to toss any eggs I find when I get home?
No ,not at all. The only thing I would worry about is breakage. Not sure how many chicks you got and how many boxes, but i have 4 or 5 that lay in the same box. Got 10 layers and 7 boxes. So there might be a chance of too many eggs in a box if your gone 48 hours.That would increase the risk for damage,at that age you dont want to teach them that eggs are yummy. Besides that there are some people that dont even put their eggs in the fridge, the one thing the fridge does is stop the fertilization process as well as extend shelf life. I remember as a kid my grandmother always keep eggs on the counter in a basket with a towel over them. 40 plus years and still on the right side of the dirt.
I wish my grandparents were still around.My dad has been a little help,but not much.I should have paid more attenion when I was a kid.My dads parents had a garden and chickens.I do great in gardens and first year growing chickens.They ar getting big but no eggs yet.Grandma kept eggs out in basket covered too!!!A lot of things are getting lost in the old ways of doing stuff.Kevin
They re fine for 2-3 days, but it does encourage broodiness to leave them in the nest. If they are fertile and being sat on for a few days, they could start to develop. If not fertile or are not being sat on, won't be an issue.
