Is there a time of day when they normaly lay eggs?

[EagleEyes]

OK, I've only gotten 4 eggs so far, and the first one was without a shell, on Thanksgiving day, then the next two days I got an egg in the morning. Today I was out most of the day and checked several times during the day, and found one when I finally shut them it around 4:30pm.

Just wondering

 

[Mountain Peeps]

No there is no "normal" time of laying. Any time of day with morning being the most common.

 

[aart]

Congrats on your first eggs! What an appropriate Thanksgiving gift, eh?

An egg takes about 25-26 hours to form, a new ova is usually released soon after an egg is laid.
So they may lay an hour or so later each day...until they lay late in the afternoon then may not release a new ova right away, taking 'a day off'.

And it can vary with each individual chicken and/or breed, you may see some patterns or not depending on how recognizable your eggs are. Most my girls are done laying by about 3-4 in the afternoon, tho I occasionally find one on the roost board in the very early morning, presumably laid overnight sometime.

New layers can take up to a month or so to get things in good working order and establish a 'regular' pattern.
Until then you may find eggs all over the place with strange shapes and shells.

Hope that helps.

What year and model is that little tractor?
I've got a '79 214 and an '87 216.

 

[EagleEyes]

Thanks MP, love the first line of your signature.

aart, Great expanation. Thanks!
That is exatly how the first three (real) eggs went. I did catch the black australorp in the nest box mid afternoon after I had put fresh straw in there, when I went it to check for an egg, but she jumped out. Later in the aft found the egg. That was yesterday, now this am no egg. I'll check during the day when I'm out due to the temps here. highs in the teens.
The tractor is a 66 John Deere, but from the movie "THE STRAIGHT STORY"
If you haven't seen it, you should!

 

[aart]

Thanks MP, love the first line of your signature.

aart, Great expanation. Thanks!
That is exatly how the first three (real) eggs went. I did catch the black australorp in the nest box mid afternoon after I had put fresh straw in there, when I went it to check for an egg, but she jumped out. Later in the aft found the egg. That was yesterday, now this am no egg. I'll check during the day when I'm out due to the temps here. highs in the teens.
The tractor is a 66 John Deere, but from the movie "THE STRAIGHT STORY"
If you haven't seen it, you should!

Ohhhh.... so not you and your tractor in the avatar pic. Will check out the movie. ETArdered DVD from library system.

I love my little tractor, throws snow like mad and mows rough trails thru the woods....gotta know how to fix 'em tho.