How long does it take a chicken to lay an egg?

[saltiboys]

My EE went into the coop (she free ranges) and has been in there for 30 min. I looked in there to see if she was still there, and sure enough, she was still sitting there. I picked her up but she hasn't laid an egg yet. She just started laying; this would be her second egg.

 

[Illia]

Don't worry, sometimes my Brahmas will sit in there for 2 hours. . . It takes a hen under a minute to actually lay the egg, but they can sit around on the nest for as long as they want.

It can be just a few minutes, or a few hours. . . It will shorten out the older she gets though.

 

[emys]

Depends on the chicken...

Just like with humans, the first ones can be harder so be patient with her. Even adult hens sometimes dally in the nest box for 20-30 minutes before laying an egg.

 

[Chick CJ]

My old english game bantam stays on the nest sometimes up to two hours! Some of my other pullets get up right away! Not sure why the difference.
CJ

 

[emys]

Maybe some use it as a way to get peace and quiet!?

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Or BE peaceful and quiet. . .

At this moment I'm typing one of my loudmouth Brahma girls is just chattering up a storm. She always does this, and then she lays on the nest. . . . And all is silent. Aaah peace.

 

[saltiboys]

Hahaha. Maybe I should put some reading material in there for her.

 

[SamuelMcF]

It takes awhile for some! especially if the egg is REAL big

 

[saltiboys]

My rooster Ricky has been crowing up a storm wonder what is taking her so long.

 

[Akane]

Sometimes mine will go sit on the nest box for a couple hours, leave without laying an egg, come back 20mins later, and pop one out. I had a hen do that on a day I wanted to lock them out of the coop. I was keeping my bantams in there while their coop got relocated and she insisted she had to lay an egg so I let her in. She sat down in the nest box and I decided to leave her there while I did something else. 3hours later she's still sitting there. Another hour later she's wandering about with the bantams and there is no egg so I kick her out of the coop. She spends the next 10mins wandering around in front of the door cackling as loud as possible so I let her back in. She eats, drinks, sits back down on the nest, lays an egg in minutes, and hops off ready to rejoin the standard flock.