How Often to Collect Eggs?

[Henny Loggins]

I'm super new at this. I have adopted 4 hens. I'm not sure who is doing the laying, but I have 2 bantams and 2 regular sized and one roo. I am only seeing 1 or 2 (max) eggs a day. Do I collect the eggs every day?

If I leave an egg in there will they lay more? Do I gather them to encourage them to lay more? I have no clue...

How long can they go uncollected if one has intent to eat them? I don't want to fertilize any at this time - just want to eat them.

Also, I'm wondering if they are all a little stressed about the move. It's only been about 2 weeks.

Some are large and brown and some a small and creamy colored.

Sorry for the grab bag post of questions.

Thanks!

 

[confusedturtle]

Im new to this too so I can only pass on what I have read in my chicken books and on the forum, sorry

I have read that you should check twice a day for new eggs and that you would want to remove them as soon as you can so they wont start eating them and to keep the eggs from getting damaged. My book also said that it is the chickens goal to lay a bunch of eggs and hatch them, so when you come in and gather the eggs they basically have to start all over again, I don't think it makes them lay more or anything like that though. Im sure someone will correct me on this if I am wrong. Are you able to post pics of your chickens? I am terrible at guessing the breed/sex but many people on here are great at it

 

[gryeyes]

I try to collect mine daily just so they don't get damaged or dirty, but I keep them on my counter top - I do not refrigerate mine. Don't need to. Eggs left in the nest for a day or two are perfectly fine for eating. Or even longer....

On the weekends, I gather eggs a couple times a day because I'm home to do so - work days I get home after the ladies are done laying for the day.

 

[Judy]

They will lay whether you leave eggs or not. Some people use golf balls or other fake eggs in the nests, but that is just to encourage them to lay in the nests (and not on the coop floor or wherever.) Fertilizing happens early in the formation of the egg, not after laying. I think most people collect once a day. Yes they are probably still a little stressed over the move. Chickens don't like change.

Are the eggs or the chickens large and brown, etc.? Do you have a question about that?

 

[justtoni44]

I collect three times a day but that is so the squirrles do not get all of them

And if you are new here............

 

[rolffamily]

If I'm out in the yard, I might peek in several times a day to see if there are any eggs. I do check at least once a day.