How long to lay an egg?

AntiqueB

Free Ranging
Aug 27, 2020
2,119
7,816
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Bergen County, NJ
With the pandemic and all, we're home all the time, and my 7yo always wants to go out, run around, and play with the chickens. I just went out, and our new layer is in the nest box. I don't want her stressed out while she's trying to lay, so I have to ask: How long does it usually take a hen to push out an egg, from getting in the nest box to leaving it? (For the next time this happens!)
 
With the pandemic and all, we're home all the time, and my 7yo always wants to go out, run around, and play with the chickens. I just went out, and our new layer is in the nest box. I don't want her stressed out while she's trying to lay, so I have to ask: How long does it usually take a hen to push out an egg, from getting in the nest box to leaving it? (For the next time this happens!)


My first egg was a surprise but my second layer I caught going in the nesting box. I read it can take around 30 mins so I started my timer. She left once, got food and walked around (still away from the others). Total time was a 1hr42mins. We had a large group of us outside but she didn’t seem bothered at all by the noise
 
My first egg was a surprise but my second layer I caught going in the nesting box. I read it can take around 30 mins so I started my timer. She left once, got food and walked around (still away from the others). Total time was a 1hr42mins. We had a large group of us outside but she didn’t seem bothered at all by the noise
Wow! That's a long time! I had no idea they could take so long.
 
My Leghorn is in and out in a heartbeat. My Mystic Marans is in that box for hours!!! The rest are somewhere in between and a few of them like to sit int he box and then walk around and go back a few times before actually laying. It's anyone's guess. But once you see each pullet's pattern, it probably won't change much. Even time of day. I usually get certain ones who lay in the morning and others prefer the afternoon.
 
Varies wildly - I've actually stood and watched them from the moment they went in until they exited, leaving the egg behind. A quick laying session might be 15-20 minutes. A longer one can be well over an hour. I think on average for my flock it's around 45 minutes or so.
 
Varies wildly - I've actually stood and watched them from the moment they went in until they exited, leaving the egg behind. A quick laying session might be 15-20 minutes. A longer one can be well over an hour. I think on average for my flock it's around 45 minutes or so.
I had no idea it could take that long! Thank you for the information.
 

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