Laying Eggs in their SLEEP!

[Prairie Mary]

Hi!
This is sort of funny. Once in a while I find an egg broken under the roost in the morning. Today it was a brown egg (RIR) the others have been green (Araucana). So . . . this means it's more than one hen that lays while roosting. And yes, I'm certain she didn't just lay the egg there and someone stepped on it. Any idea what's up with that? Anyone else have this happen?

I do the 15hrs of light in the coop - however after reading a few posts, I'm reconsidering. Although the light simplifies a few things.
Anyway, when it gets dark out they come in and roost right away even though it's 5pm and the light is on. Is that normal? Is it too much roost time?

What a weird thing, huh? Thanks for any help you can offer!

Prairie Mary
*seems like this could make for a good Far Side comic.

 

[debilorrah]

That does sound strange. Mine lay all over the place, but always in the hay. Of course I never know where I may step on one....

 

[Chickenaddict]

Once in a while my hens lay their eggs from the roost while they are sleeping, must be dreamin about them nesting boxes again LOL

 

[cmom]

Sometimes this happens especially if they are reletively new layers.

 

[ghillie]

Since my 3 hens started laying in late August, I have found 5 soft shelled eggs that were layed overnight??

 

[cjeanean]

Mine did the same thing. I don't know how many mornings there would be one layed on top of the nest box (under their roost)....LOL!!

 

[Prairie Mary]

Yea, these started laying the end of August too.

Seems like they have the whole egg-laying business figured out. All but one lays in the nest boxes. One RIR, Opossum, lays in the lilac bush. I guess you could say she's a special needs chick. LOL
But I digress. I thought they had it figured out. If a chicken can't hold poop until the morn, how do they hold eggs!? LOL

Prairie (kurious) Mary
* scratching head *

 

[dancingbear]

I get a few eggs from the roosts, too. I have a lot of straw under them, so they usually don't break.

I used to have a big red hen that I saw lay an egg while on the roost. I was closing the coop for the night, she was up on one of the poles. I just happened to be looking, saw the egg fall, and she looked startled, then stuck her head down between her legs to look and see what that was! It was one of the funniest things I ever saw, I still chuckle when I think about it.