Is it still good?

[harrisville chicken]

Our one EE who wasn't laying, finally laid an egg today under our deck. It was a little difficult to get to and I'm hoping to encourage her to lay somewhere else. I've hosed down the ground under the deck to muddy it up a bit, placed a five gallon bucket with some soft bedding just under the deck where we can reach it. Ideally, I'd like her to lay in the coop. They'll have a new coop next week.

Two questions: How do I encourage a hen to lay in a nesting box?

If the egg I found has been outside in mid 70 degree weather (but in the cool shady sand) is it still good? No cracks in it.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
There is a really easy test for eggs.

Fill your sink with cold water, and place the eggs in there. If they lay flat on their side, the are fresh, if they start standing up, the are iffy, if they float OH NO TOSS THEM!

Trying to get a hen to lay where YOU want her to is near impossible. I haven't managed it yet!

 

[ZepChick]

I have heard that plastic eggs placed where you want her to lay may help. Our girls seem to do it wherever they please, unless we have a broody at the time who seems to get all the eggs under her