This article deals with what happens if you don’t collect chicken eggs, why it is important not to delay collecting chicken eggs and the best tips to keep your eggs farm fresh and hygienic.
What happens if you don’t collect chicken eggs: Introduction
Waking up early in the morning, feeding the chickens, milking the cows and collecting eggs have been my regular routine in our small homestead. But yes, there have been days when I can’t get up as early, days when I feel like reading a book and not farming and days when I just don’t care.
But unfortunately, when you own a little farm with no laborers to help you, resting is not a possibility. You can’t let your cows go unmilked. You can’t let your animals go hungry. And yes, you can’t delay collecting your precious eggs.
So why is it important to collect your chicken eggs as early as possible? What happens if you don’t collect chicken eggs? Read on the learn all about the consequences of delaying egg collecting and what will happen if you don’t collect at all.
What happens if you don’t collect chicken eggs: Everything You Need to Know
Not collecting eggs leads to wastage.
Eggs should be collected once a day at the least. If you let your eggs sit for too long in nests, they will turn inedible, and you will have to throw them out!
If you delay collecting your eggs, they might break easily when rolled around or stepped on. Even a hen laying a new egg on top of the old will lead to them breaking. This causes wastage as you have no choice but to throw out a broken egg.
Not collecting eggs makes them unsafe.
When you leave the eggs for too long in their nests, they can crack. If there are any cracks, you have to get rid of them because it’s most likely that they are full of bacteria. 
The eggs also get dirty and pooped on. This makes them unhygienic and unsafe to eat. Eggs can contract bacteria from the chicken through their pores even if they are not cracked. So it is best not to let them sit in their nests for too long if you want to maintain hygiene on your farm.
Not collecting eggs will cause them to be harmed by the weather.
While it is important to collect your eggs at least once a day, you should be collecting eggs more often during the winter or summer (extreme heat or extreme cold).
In the winter, if you leave out eggs without collecting them often, they will freeze. If an egg freezes, it will crack, and a cracked egg is unsuitable for consumption. Bacteria from the chickens can enter through these cracks.
However, if you find that some of your eggs are frozen during the winter, you can eat them if they are not cracked. They are good for making hard-boiled eggs, but if you want an omelet, you would have to thaw the completely first.
During the intense summer heat, it is best to collect your chicken eggs as soon as possible. This is because the heat can cause fertilized eggs to hatch even if they are not sat on. The heat acts like an incubator causing the embryo to develop, and if you leave them for too long, you won’t have any eggs but will have to babysit chicks instead!
Not collecting eggs might cause the chickens to eat them
This might sound shocking to you, but cannibalism among chickens is not uncommon. Chickens can peck at and eat their own eggs. If you make it a point to remove the eggs regularly, you can avoid this and discourage egg-eating behavior.
Not collecting eggs will attract predators.
Not all chicken coops are very secure. If you continue leaving out your eggs for too long without collecting them, you will be attracting predators like snakes, raccoons, rats and skunks. Once an animal, especially a snake, knows where they can get eggs for free, they will keep returning. So you might be losing eggs even without realizing it.
The Best Tips to Collect Your Eggs the Correct Way
- It is best to collect your eggs at least twice a day during the winter and summer days.
- Collect your eggs first thing in the morning before you start your other chores.
- First, start by collecting eggs that do not have chickens sitting on them. Then gently lift the chickens one by one and collect the eggs underneath.
- Try to collect eggs at night, too, before closing your coop.
- Use a clean wire basket or plastic bucket to collect the eggs.
- Don’t stack the eggs too high, as this will cause your eggs to break. Empty your egg basket once they are half full, and then continue collecting.
- Wash your eggs before you store them. This will prevent bacteria from entering the eggs through the pores. Use water that is slightly warmer than the temperature of the eggs. This will cause the eggs to swell slightly and push the dirt outwards.
- Keep your eggs at a constant temperature that is not too hot or too cold. In the summer, you will have to store them in the refrigerator.
- Don’t soak your eggs in the water when washing them. And dry them after washing.
What happens if you don’t collect chicken eggs: Conclusion
If you don’t collect your eggs at least once a day, there are high chances of wastage as your eggs will break or crack and make them inedible. Leaving them in the nests for too long will cause bacteria to enter them. It also encourages egg-eating behavior among chickens. During the summer, eggs that have been left uncollected may spoil or hatch due to the heat, and in the winter, they freeze and crack.
Keep in mind that as a chicken farmer, it is extremely important to collect your eggs at least once or twice a day. If you find yourself unable to collect eggs regularly, then I’m afraid chicken farming may not be your thing.
Also read: How long can eggs stay in the coop?
*All pics are courtesy of Unsplash.com
