"Sleep"-laying BR hen?

[FarmerJamie]

Preface - I have a roost set up across the top of the little setup I have for the girl's nesting boxes and the hens spend the night up there no problem. However, the last two mornings, I've gone out to the coop and found a new egg, cracked and broken, with the same general damage one would see if an egg was dropped from about the height of the roost. Other than the obvious damage, the egg appears normal. Is it possible hens lay eggs in their sleep or is there another explanation?

 

[HorseFeathers]

If the eggs are small or "rubbery" (no shell) they will be often laid from the roost. It happens. Two in a row, though... are you sure it's just one hen doing it? Also, how long has she been laying?

 

[FarmerJamie]

I have BR 11 hens, all the same age (15 months), and have been laying since last summer, although I'm down to 5-6 eggs per day from 9-10 two months ago - it looks like several are staring to molt, so I'm not really worried about that. The egg was average in size compared to the others. The shell appears relatively normal compared to all the other eggs we've been getting. With the great weather and new patch of run I setup for them this week, maybe there was too much excitement to worry about laying an egg during the day!

Any thing I should look out for?

 

[feathersnuggles]

A bird can inadvertently drop partially-shelled eggs, along with her poo at night. It happened to my novice egg layers, in the beginning. I wonder if it happens from time to time, especially when they are getting back into their egg-laying groove from a molt or broodiness or other. Also, recently I've had a more experienced hen start dropping rubber eggs, or sometimes they're called jelly eggs, from the roost at night. Those were shell-less, from what I could tell and the flock ate them. The flock also ate all the half-shelled roost eggs from the new layers. Maybe if a shell is too weak, the egg could be dropped at night, even from an older layer. An egg that breaks, while inside a hen, will kill her -- so it's a good thing when any weak-shelled egg is passed outside as soon as possible.

The question is, how old is your BR? And did she just get over a molt? If she's a beginning layer, it's VERY common to get roost eggs intermittently until their body gets the hang of it.

ETA: I just saw your post, above. So, she's more experienced layer and I'd look at making sure she's got constant access to crushed oyster shell, and always plenty of fresh clean water. If she looks healthy, eats well and her poop looks normal, you're probably looking at a bird that either is a touch broody (they will pluck out some of their breast/belly feathers) or she is going to molt, like you said.

 

[HorseFeathers]

Hm... Then I'm not sure. If they were just starting to lay it would be more understandable.
That being said, we had one extra-stupid hen who once was in the next box, heard the others making a ruckus about treats, ran outside, and promptly laid her egg in the run.

Accidents happen, I suppose.
I'd watch it a little longer. Hope it clears up.

 

[FarmerJamie]

This particular issue has cleared up - hasn't happened in a week. thanks, everyone.