Stealth Nests and dirty eggs

[Lori J]

My 3 hens haven't laid eggs in the nesting box in 4-5 days, and after much picking through the blackberry brambles I found the stealth nest! So, is it possible that any of these eggs have had the bloom compromised by the dew or wet ground (ground wet from this past Saturday's rain) and allowed bacteria inside? If so, what might happen after eating a cooked egg - food poisoning-type symptoms? It doesn't seem like the "float test" would tell you if these eggs are 'good' or not...but will thoroughly cooking them kill any possible bacteria? Kind of like how they tell you to cook eggs thoroughly in case of salmonella?

Also, what makes hens decide they don't like their perfectly good nesting box?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Get rid of them. When in doubt throw them out, food poisoning can be deadly.

Hens have an instinct to hide their eggs, so nestboxes need to be darker, and fake eggs will help draw them in because hens like to lay where others have.

Sometimes everything is right about the boxes but they just want to find something different.

 

[aart]

Any changes in the coop or flock lately?
New birds, change of feed, predator attempt?

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[Hensndoes]

Any changes in the coop or flock lately?
New birds, change of feed, predator attempt?

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

^^^ what aart said. I did things this way and now I can tell when someone needs back in. Whoever is wanting to lay will come back to the coop and peck around. Ignore her and she will be a screaming fit atop the coop. All the ladies are like this. Keep the nest boxes clean and broodies don't look elsewhere.

 

[red horse ranch]

My 3 hens haven't laid eggs in the nesting box in 4-5 days, and after much picking through the blackberry brambles I found the stealth nest! So, is it possible that any of these eggs have had the bloom compromised by the dew or wet ground (ground wet from this past Saturday's rain) and allowed bacteria inside? If so, what might happen after eating a cooked egg - food poisoning-type symptoms? It doesn't seem like the "float test" would tell you if these eggs are 'good' or not...but will thoroughly cooking them kill any possible bacteria? Kind of like how they tell you to cook eggs thoroughly in case of salmonella?

Also, what makes hens decide they don't like their perfectly good nesting box?

I have a Sapphire hen that is always hiding her eggs. Yesterday I found 3 of her eggs in a hidden guinea nest behind the barn. Last week I found a dozen eggs behind a large bale of hay. 6 of them were her blue eggs and the rest were white from another hen. Since they were less than a week old and the weather is cool I hard boiled the eggs and used them anyway. When an egg is cooked thoroughly salmonella is destroyed.

It's frustrating when you have to search for the eggs all the time but it becomes a game for me after a while.

When in doubt about eggs like this I will feed them to my dog or chickens after cooking.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

My 3 hens haven't laid eggs in the nesting box in 4-5 days, and after much picking through the blackberry brambles I found the stealth nest! So, is it possible that any of these eggs have had the bloom compromised by the dew or wet ground (ground wet from this past Saturday's rain) and allowed bacteria inside? If so, what might happen after eating a cooked egg - food poisoning-type symptoms? It doesn't seem like the "float test" would tell you if these eggs are 'good' or not...but will thoroughly cooking them kill any possible bacteria? Kind of like how they tell you to cook eggs thoroughly in case of salmonella?

Also, what makes hens decide they don't like their perfectly good nesting box?

What makes us humans suddenly decide that we know what a "perfectly good nest" looks like? All we care about is that we don't have to bend over to far, strain a muscle, or walk to much when we gather our hens' eggs. Hens on the other hand are only concerned with concealment and selecting a place where their children have the best chance of developing and safely hatching.

I have it on good authority that humans first began cooking our food to combat things like food poisoning, salmonella, and other assorted bacteria diseases and if you cook your food "well" you will also be safe.

 

[Lori J]

Thanks everyone for all the helpful replies!