What time of day do hens lay?

[chickfamilyonsleepyhollow]

I too am waiting for our girls to start laying

just wonder if they typically lay at a certain time of day

We free range them from about 6:00 pm until they make their way into the coop at dusk ... I'm getting a bit worried that they could be laying eggs in the yard and I couldn't even begin to look for hiding places. They seem to be going into the nesting boxes - they kick around the plastic eggs in there and the hay gets matted down. Thanks !!!!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

It depends on the individual hen, and her individul cycle. Some lay in the morning, some lay in the evening, and some lay at high noon.

 

[trunkman]

Most of my pullets lay before noon, a couple of my girls lay late afternoon.

 

[teach1rusl]

On average, by noonish. But I've had them lay anywhere from before 8am, almost up through 6PM. Typically, it'll be at least an hour or so later than the previous day (because an egg takes more than 24 hours to develop) for several days, then a skipped day.

 

[booker81]

When they feel like it?

I have three laying right now....and at all different times a day. I just go and pick up eggs at the end of the day, after work.

 

[mama2many]

mine lay all day long! I have two red stars that lay first thing in the morning with a black alstr...I have 3 EEs and a silkie that just layed and the other black alstr will lay this evening. Those are just the girls that have let me see them laying. I am home all day and collect eggs three times a day. I have let them out at 7 to find eggs that were layed since I put them up for the night. My girls are all over the place.

 

[[email protected]]

Mine will try to lay in the garage if we let them in there. If not, they will lay in their boxes. And it is anywhere from 7-3ish, like said earlier, it takes about 26 hours for an egg to develop, so, if it's too late by chicken time, it'll be first thing the next morning. At first, mine were laying them all over the place, on the ground, in the garage, etc. But make sure you put a golf ball or something similar in the boxes so they will get it. jennifer