VERY early egg laying!

[Delta2 23]

Ok, here's the story.

My chicken Eggie is an early bird and INSISTS of laying an egg in the wee hours of the morning. At least Feathers is more reasonable.

A few days ago, we made an effort to get up early and let Eggs out, but alas, we were too late an discovered an Eggie-egg in one of the makeshift "nest boxes", a metal tunnel (the chickens usually lay in the nest which is behind the coop)

The next day, we got up EVEN earlier, but poor Eggs just couldn't hold on and again we discovered eine Eggie-egg in the next box.

Then, the bombshell was dropped. Our chickens are totally crazy! Today we got up REALLY REALLY early and found two eggs under their roosts, instead of in the nest boxes. OMG, our chickens are laying in their sleep.

Someone help! How can we do something about it! Is it normal?

 

[Dar]

chickens will lay at any time of day...or early morning..

can they see the sun rise from the coop?...maybe thats alerting them that it is time to wake and give you a present?

is there a reason that you dont want them laying in the wee hours of the morning?

I would be so proud of my gals if they did they then I would not have egg hunt every weekend to see where they are hiding them now

My 10 hens start laying at about 10AM and the last one finished at about 2 - 3 but that means that they are locked in the coop till everyone is done

 

[Delta2 23]

sorry posted twice!

 

[Delta2 23]

Yes, they can see the sun rising from their roost place.

By wee hours of the morning I mean 5 or 6 o'clock. i.e. Early early early.

Today I again found an Eggie-egg under the roosts. feathers layed in the usual nest.

 

[fargosmom]

Feathers and Eggie!! Those are the best chicken names ever!

 

[msgenie516]

Hi,

Is it possible the eggs you are finding are from the night before? I have already had one of my girls lay at about 8:30 PM. I would have never known it except that I checked the coop twice that night, once about 8:00 PM (no egg) and 8:45 PM (the egg was there and still warm). If I found that egg in the morning, I would have thought it was laid really early. Just a thought!

Genie

 

[ChooksChick]

Mine always lay in the nest boxes, and so I don't really notice when, save when I'm out there with them or if there is already an egg when I go let them out (7 or so). I have them in a backyard, though so we've eliminated any real places that might be an attractive alternative.

I know we got 4 eggs after 4 the other day, so it happens whenever. I found a softshell that broke when it hit the poop board under the roost this morning, so someone had an egg that didn't make it into the count today.

Weird birds!

 

[cmom]

I have a golf ball in each nest box. So far they lay in the nests. I have even watched them rearrange the golf balls in the nests with the eggs. Some of the girls put the golf ball under them and some push it to the edge but not out. I work the graveyard shift. Every morning when I get home from work, I check the nest boxes and I have one who is an early layer too.

 

[Cetawin]

I dunno they lay when they want and most often where they want. I have 8 nests in my coop. ALL 29 of them want to use the same two. Six of them have never had an egg in them. Now, if the nest is occupied (most offten by not one chicken but 2 or 3), they have made a nest in the corner of the coop in the straw. I found 17 eggs in it yesterday morning.

They lay at different times and so far I have only found 4 eggs outside the coop...they all march back in and leave their gifts.

 

[Delta2 23]

Well my chickens have the whole back garden (three sections) but they kind of have this instinct to lay in the nest behind the coop. I am worried about Eggie though. Does laying in her sleep mean she's going mental or something?