When do you collect your eggs?

[Club cramahe coop]

We are anxiously awaiting our first egg from our 19 week old girls. I suspect they will be a bit longer with the shorter days. My question is , What time of day do most people collect eggs. In my case, my wife and I both leave early each day for work. In the winter months, I suspect the girls will be still sleeping as it will be dark. Will the day’s eggs be ok all day in the cold until we get home around 5pm. Then , in the summer , I figure they will have an hour or two of daylight before my wife leaves. I am not sure how soon after they get up do they lay ? Or do they lay at random times throughout the day. Then if the eggs sit all day in the heat, again, will they be ok until we get home at 5 pm.
I would appreciate hearing what you think.

 

[Brady bunch]

Do you incubate eggs? If so I would check around every hour. If not every 3-5 hours. I think that if you get home late they should be fine if you don’t incubate eggs.

 

[PioneerChicks]

We don't incubate eggs, and we just collect once a day at a random time. Except in winter it is very necessary to collect eggs before night, as they might freeze.

 

[Willowspirit]

We collect randomly through the day mostly because we are still excited about getting them. It won’t hurt for them to sit for a few hours.

Our pullets lay kind of randomly. Today we got four eggs by 1pm and then two more by 3 pm. I don’t expect anymore today. One of the earlier ones might have been laid as early as 9 am since that’s when they could get into the laying coop around that time.

 

[rod5591]

Some hens lay in the morning but some wait until later in the day. I used to collect eggs in the morning and the evening. I would get eggs at each time. But now, I only collect eggs about 5 to 6 p.m, and get them all in one trip

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Our hens and pullet (have 14 pullets but only one early girl has started laying!) lay mid morning through early afternoon, so during the work week, we collect in the evening. Best of luck - hope you get an egg soon!

 

[Mvan42]

I have times where I don’t get to check the eggs but every other day(smacking fingers). I don’t like to do that but my daughter plays volleyball and when we get home late we close things up and get settled for the night. Never had an issue there. Summer when I am home especially hot days I check often unless we are not home. Winter on real cold days (negative temps also often when we can). But over all they should be fine. I leave around 7am and don’t get home on a normal day until 4. Normally don’t check them until evening. No issues

 

[chrissynemetz]

I usually check for eggs randomly throughout the day.

 

[aart]

Or do they lay at random times throughout the day. Then if the eggs sit all day in the heat, again, will they be ok until we get home at 5 pm.
I would appreciate hearing what you think.

Most my birds lay between 8am-4pm...but can be earlier and later too.
I sometimes gather throughout the day, or often wait until I lock up after dark to gather all the eggs.

It takes about 25 hours for an egg to form, a new ova is released shortly after an egg is laid. A new egg could be laid approximately every 25-26 hours, so an hour or so later every day until one is laid late in the day and another ova might not be released until the following day, so a day off. BUT..very hen is different and only time will tell what a particular hen/pullets schedule might be. Not every hen/pullet lays every day..some only lay a few a week.

How hot, or cold, is it where you live?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Ted_Harrell]

I get up really early(like 2:30AM) and so I collect the eggs when I get home(about3PM). By then the girls have all done their business. This will be my first winter with the hens so I am flying kind of blind myself. I guess we'll see...