Will chickens stop laying eggs if their coupe gets too full?

[Bthurber]

I was recently told that the owners of the chickens I am caring for would start grabbing their own eggs and I didn’t have to myself. I noticed after there were about 80 eggs in the coupe the laying seemed to stop. With so many, I decided to just get them myself again and all of a sudden the hens are laying much more. Is it possible that the coupe was so full that they stopped laying, then restarted once I emptied it?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I was recently told that the owners of the chickens I am caring for would start grabbing their own eggs and I didn’t have to myself.

Welcome to BYC!

Leaving that many eggs is asking for predators, broken egg mess, egg eaters, and more.. whoever told you that gave lousy advice. (wait you mean the owners should start collecting, but they have not?)

Why would anyone want to stop there birds from laying? That will happen anyways when daylight dissipates and age is ready to molt in new feathers for winter (often their second fall season). They return to lay again as daylight increases back.

To answer the question in part.. a nest full of eggs MIGHT encourage a hen to "brood".. sit on to hatch and raise a clutch.. during which time they will NOT lay eggs,, and return once they're done. That's usually 3 weeks for sitting and and 4-6 weeks for raising young. MOST chicken hens.. will go broody with or without eggs after laying a certain amount depending on hormones, genetics, and possibly some other factors like crowding or flock antics.

My guess as to why laying would slow and then return after collection.. would be accidental broken eggs/egg eaters. But no, I don;t think full nest stop laying.. they will just lay on top or elsewhere.. Heck another hen sitting in the nest won't stop some hens from getting in there and laying on top of them!

In fact, the abundance of eggs tells the hens "this is a safe place to lay". One of my hens will find another spot if her nest has been "raiding" and all the eggs removed.. then she figures that's not a safe spot to lay anymore. Chickens are sometimes simple.. but often more complex then we give them credit for.

Anyways.. I don't know the true answer other than laying can be effected by SO many things including hot weather, sudden changes in lighting, nutrition, etc.. but I DO highly recommend collecting eggs daily!

Maybe just keep a few ready to give back to the chickens original owners should they ever make an appearance.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Chickens go "broody." Look that up.... So yes they will stop laying and just sit on the eggs because they want to be mothers to chicks. They want the eggs you are not collecting to hatch. So DO collect eggs. How many chickens are you caring for, sounds like alot!! Welcome to BYC, glad you're asking good questions, this place is very helpful.