Laying in the middle of night

[Backyard Bruce]

I have two pullets laying eggs tonight. one very new to laying, a polish, and on RIR that has been laying about 2 months.
I woke up to all kinds of commotion from my rooster, I mean he was loud in order to wake me.
Ran out thinking I have an assault on my hen house but I see the polish on the floor of the coop trying to lay an egg, okay good no attack but strange.
Just a half hour later same thing, rooster freaking out, I check and now I have the RIR in the nest box laying.
This is all around 3:30-4:00am
I do not use supplemental light but did by accident leave a very dim night light on last night, usually off though.

Is this normal for this time of year.

 

[centrarchid]

You had a visitor and birds could see it.

 

[aart]

Newly laying pullets sometimes drop them whenever...
...all the ruckus could have stimulated the RIR to lay too instead of waiting.
Likely cockbird was alarming because polish left roost....
....or it could have been a predator snooping around outside.
But no not 'normal' and hopefully wont be repeated.

 

[Backyard Bruce]

Probably did have a visitor.
I have a very well protected run and pretty damn impenetrable coop when closed.
That and me running out in my skivies with shotgun in hand, predators don’t stand much of a chance.

 

[Trux]

I have had eggs dropped overnight quite a few times, in the nest boxes and on the coop floor, so I am not surprised by this. I haven't been able to tie it to any one thing, it is just something that happens