silly newbie question - what time of day is good to check for eggs?

[Faracas]

Hi there. In my current flock I have 5 9 week old chicks and 18 week D'anvers. The D'anvers have been laying now and again for the past week or so. For some reason, I had this vision of Farmwife Jane going out to the coop and collecting eggs in every morning, but that's wrong isn't it? Do the girls typically lay in the afternoon? When is the best time to check - say when I make sure they have roosted for the night and I'm locking the coop?

Related - should their be food and water in the coop? They have it now, but it's uber messy.

Thanks! Cassandra

 

[bturbo87]

i usually go in and collect for the day once i get off of work, around 5 or 530, once im done changing water and refilling food if its needed, and sitting and throwing scratch. by that time they are usually done laying for the day, and getting ready for bed, i throw the scratch then just to make sure they eat a good portion of the layer feed throughout the day, since only 5% of thier diet is supposed to be treats if you want regular big healthy eggs, and the scratch raioses thier body temp, so i like to think im helping keep them a little warmer at night.

 

[LarryPQ]

The time they lay will change throughout the year. In the summer, I go out twice: before and after work.

It is so hot I dare not risk letting any of those eggies start incubating in the shade.

 

[gvntofly05]

I collect a few times a day. Otherwise my nesting boxes get really full.

I'll collect first thing in the morning when I let them out at 8 am, I'll usually grab 2-3 eggs then. I collect the majority between noon and 3pm. Then I'll pick up another 2 or 3 around 8 pm when I lock them up. I average 18 eggs a day.