Too many eggs??

[lotsachicks]

I only have 16 chickens, but today when I went to collect eggs ( i check in the morning and again at about 4pm) I had 19 eggs?? I thought each chicken could only lay one egg a day? Yesterday I collected 14 eggs. One of todays eggs was soft shelled which I think I have had four of since I got my first egg on Oct. 3rd. I received my chicks from a hatchery on may 19th and have 5 white leghorns, 4 barred rocks, and 7 black australorps, I also have a RIR rooster and an EE rooster ( both obvious rooster feathering and crowing). Is it possible for them to lay more than one egg in a day? Will this negatively affect their health?

 

[awesomefowl]

Yes, it is possible for them to lay more than one egg in a day, but are you sure they aren't hiding their eggs?

 

[Judy]

Yes, it happens, esp. if someone is laying a soft shell egg. Ordinarily it's something like a 26 hour cycle. The hen may live a normal life or may be working on egg laying problems.

 

[lotsachicks]

I dont think anyone is hiding eggs, all the eggs I have collected were in the nest boxes and since I'm new to chickens I guess I'm a little nuerotic about the whole egg check thing for fear if the girls find them they may start eating them, so I always check the coop (12'x9') and the yard (50' x 50') for any eggs or nests.