Had the hens for almost a week...where are the eggs

[new2chickens]

We got our chickens last Saturday. 2 hens and 2 roosters. The 2 hens laid us 2 eggs on Sun while we were building the coop. Since then NO eggs. I have looked everywhere I could think they would lay and everywhere I could get to! My suspicion was they were laying them under the storage container (I can't get under there) Hubby called me yesterday and told me he found THEIR nest! They were in the back of our hay!! I didn't even think they could get to the back!! He found 9 eggs back there! They are pretty good layers! 2 hens 11 eggs in 7 days!! That is almost 2 eggs a day!! Now hopefully they will decide to lay in the new nests. Since the 2nd rooster has moved to a new home I plan to leave them in their coop for a couple days, maybe that will help them learn that they lay eggs in the coop!!

A question: If those eggs sat out in the hay for up to 7 days are they safe to eat?? The temperature has been between 30 - 60 all week (day and night).

Thanks,
Sarah

 

[Farmer Kitty]

You can safely leave eggs on the counter at room temp for a week, so I would say those eggs are safe to eat.

Leaving them in the coop for a few days is a good idea to try to get them to use the nest boxes. In the mean time see if you can block off their old one.

 

[Ga Chicken Mom]

Remember to put some type of artificial eggs in the nest boxes, I use a golf ball in each of mine. Seems to really help.

 

[new2chickens]

One of them laid an egg in one of the nests in the coop this morning. I just feel terrible when I leave them in, so I let them out...if I go a couple days without eggs...atleast I know where to look and then I will leave them in the coop with fake eggs in the nests. I am optimistic that this one egg means atleast one of them knows where to lay!!

 

[silkiechicken]

To make sure they keep laying in their old nests... I put a fake egg where ever a new nest ends up... else I found mine at least up and leave and start laying somewhere else..

 

[new2chickens]

Went out and found the other hen in the nest earlier, so maybe she is laying. I will wait to check until I see her out of the coop...don't want to bother her.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

If your's are morning layers you could leave them in until they lay and then let them out. Then once they have learned where the nest boxes are you could let them out anytime.

 

[new2chickens]

Not sure when they lay. The first time we saw them lay one laid before or during church and the other laid early afternoon. This time one laid before church and the other might be laying right now (so early afternoon) I think my black and white is a morning layer and my red is an afternoon layer.

Sarah

 

[Ericasl]

It must be the day for finding hidden nest!! I found a nest under our sheep feeder with six eggs in it!!! Go figure it only could have been there a day for two. I got over a dozen eggs today. I blocked it though the sheep could step all over it. and I really do not want them to lay there!! It was a fun surprise.