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[redsunset]

Got my chooks on the 26th of May and was chuffed to get 2 eggs on the 14th of June. Have been getting 2 eggs most days, recently three and today 4..........but found 27 under a bush this afternoon!!!! Did the jug of water test and one looked like it was going to stand up so discarded, but are the others safe or will I dump them? Will have to stuff flowerpots in said gap but as they are free ranging I expect to have to do an egg hunt now quite often! !

[Snowy]

Naughty chickens!

I'm sure they will be fine - use them for baking and crack them into a mug or jug first rather than straight into anything you are making, just to be on the safe side

[chuckmum6]

This sounds rather familiar, I recently found a dozen eggs in our incinerator! Luckily that we don't have roast chicken !

[cyclonetog]

We had the exact same thing happen, saw one of the hens leave the hedge and went to investigate what she was doing in there and found 28 eggs lol.

 

We also did the water test and they all passed, so gave them away to parents and grandparents to use them up as we had no way of dating them.

[redsunset]

well found another nest of 27 plus the hen I thought had 'got taken or lost' was sat on another 15. Didn't know such a young hen could get broody but there you go. Only been a chook keeper since end of May and broke my ankle 2 wks after getting them so mum was head keeper until recently. Mum made me put almost 68 eggs in the bin as could not date them (did pinch a double yoker which was fine) and despite checking 27 of them in water she was not convinced so starting again. I was gutted but with a broken ankle could not complain. Now able to feed them myself and go out on the garden bench in the eve with their corn. One still sleeps in the hedge every night where her nest was of 15. When I am fully mobile again will try and put her in hen house and close door (been open all summer) as not a fox area. Totally spoilt chooks!!

[cyclonetog]

It only takes one night for a fox to wipe you out, happened to me 3 weeks ago.

 

I also had a broody sitting in a bush and I thought she'll have to take her chances, but I forgot to close the run once and they were all gone in the morning.

 

Fox even took the eggs that the broody had been sitting on!

[redsunset]

I am so sorry for the loss of your hens. I would have been devastated! I read so many stories of people losing their hens after turning their backs for a few mins, awful. Am very lucky I guess to be in the position to leave mine to come and go as they please as I live on an Island and no foxes exist here otherwise it would have to be a run and enclosure. They get themselves up at 5am and put themselves to bed around 9.30pm and free range in a 1/4 acre of garden all day and so far no more egg nests found. The baby of the bunch still insists on sleeping in the hedge at night so as soon as I am fully mobile and off crutches will try and lift her into the hen house and close her in.