Not collecting Eggs while on vacation?

[Mamaperreca]

We will be gone for a week (7 days) during September. The weather might be hot or it might be cool. We won't know till it gets here. It is Missouri so it could be 90 on day and 70 the next. Anywhoo.... We will have someone come check on them at least a couple times during that week. My questions are about egg collection.

If it is mild weather 70's or not super hot will collecting them every 2-3 days be ok? We currently only have two hens laying, but the other two pullets could start by then.

Will the hens do anything, like push the old eggs out or anything? I am totally new to laying hens to tell me what I need to know about the egg part of it. I know all about the food/water/house part of leaving them.

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

It is ideal to collect them daily when it is warm. But it wont hurt anything either if you don't. The hens will just keep on laying, they will not push them out of the way. When you get back just be sure to float them in cool water before you eat them. If they float, toss them!

 

[jjthinkagain]

The eggs will probably be okay but I would have someone check on the birds at least daily, doing head count, looking for signs of wellness (or illness) changing water etc. That's just me - Murphy's Law always asserts itself if I don't take every precaution - there are others who think an every couple/few day check is fine so if you have really good luck, ignore me on this!
JJ

 

[The Chicken People]

Where are you in Mo? I am 20 miles North of Kansas City! Our temps and humidity are high and storms as well! If you are close I could help daily! PM me if interested! I have some waterers that go dry by the end of the day! And had I not been home yesterday in time I could have suffered losses due to the storms! Just saying an ounce of prevention is worth it!

 

[jjthink]

Very nice of you Connie/TCP

JJ

 

[Mamaperreca]

Thanks for the offer. We live about 30 minutes south of KC. So it would be quite a drive for you. I think we will have it covered. We have a farmer friend who I think we can pay a small fee to stop by each day.

 

[DDRanch]

I would have someone check on them everyday and collect the eggs daily. Leaving eggs despite the weather could result in egg eating simply out of boredom and you sure don't want to have that.

 

[thechickenchick]

We camp almost every other weekend. Leave on Friday and return on Sunday afternoon. It doesn't get all that hot here. We don't have anyone check on ours. I do have quite the collection of eggs when I return, but as long as my nest boxes are full of clean soft bedding I don't have a problem with broken eggs. If it is any longer than that the neighbor's down the road will stop in. They don't accept payment so I insist they keep the eggs.