My girls are sleeping in their nesting boxes, I know there coop is small. What to do, one is laying already.

[RevlisRemmah]

If you do wash, use warm water.

 

[Kimmys78]

All eggs purchased in stores (at least here in America) are washed.
It is a choice on whether or not to wash them.

Once washed they should be kept in the fridge.

I guarantee you I wash my duck eggs and refrigerate.

I put them in the fridge right away

 

[CluckerFamily]

I just wanted to make sure since my girls have slept in the nesting boxes and I have found poop in them as well. I wiped them off with a damp paper towel. I have read not to wash them so I got scared. Lol

Everyone cleans their eggs differently. I will clean them before using if they were dirty from any chicken poop. I agree with @21hens-incharge that once you wash them, they need to be refrigerated. I also write on them with a pencil they date they were laid so that I know how old the eggs are at all times.

 

[Kimmys78]

If you do wash, use warm water.

Ok thank you

 

[21hens-incharge]

I wash using as hot of water my hands can take.....and that means straight hot here.
If there is "debris" on the egg I use a bit of dawn on an old washcloth that is just for eggs now.

 

[Kimmys78]

Not for your "sleeping in the nest box" issue, but you may want to put some stuff in the run...branches in the corner that are supported by the chain link, tree stumps or old chairs to perch on, etc...things to give them places to sit or perch. Right now, the run looks pretty barren.

Ok thank you for the ideas, we just put them in that run. I had thought about doing the branches in the corner.

 

[Kimmys78]

I wash using as hot of water my hands can take.....and that means straight hot here.
If there is "debris" on the egg I use a bit of dawn on an old washcloth that is just for eggs now.

Ok, thank you for your advice. I am so new to this. I have four hens

 

[Kimmys78]

Chickens poop most while sleeping. I've had a similar problem-I just go out at night and take them out of the nesting boxes and place them on the roosts. They are easy to pick up while sleepy. Wiping your eggs off does the same thing as washing them-takes off the natural layer of bloom that protects the eggs from bacteria. We've had our own poopy egg issues, and we don't wash ours until use.

I think they are in there because they don't have enough room for all four of them on the roosts.

 

[Kimmys78]

How many hens do you have?

4

 

[black_cat]

I think they are in there because they don't have enough room for all four of them on the roosts.

Are any roosting? Try moving one or two on the roosts to at least help. Have you considered making the prefab coop+run all into a coop? That would give them more space and you less poopy eggs.