What Happens If You Don’t Collect Your Chicken Eggs? The Complete Guide

Let’s face it – life gets busy. We all have those crazy weeks where our chicken chores might slip our minds. Maybe you’re planning a vacation or you’ve been sick in bed. Whatever the reason you might be wondering what actually happens when those eggs sit uncollected in your nesting boxes.

As a backyard chicken keeper for over a decade I’ve experienced the “oops I forgot” moments more than I’d like to admit. Let me walk you through everything you need to know about what happens when chicken eggs aren’t collected regularly.

The Quick Answer

Fresh eggs should be collected at least once daily to ensure they’re safe to eat. Leaving eggs in nest boxes for several days can make them potentially inedible. They might become cracked, dirty, pooped on, or simply unsafe for consumption.

If you have a rooster and the eggs are fertile, embryos could even start developing if a hen decides to sit on them or if temperatures are high enough. To avoid wasting eggs and ensure they’re safe, regular collection is absolutely necessary.

How Often Should You Collect Chicken Eggs?

Most chicken owners collect eggs daily but the ideal frequency depends on several factors

• Climate/weather conditions – Extreme temperatures (hot or cold) require more frequent collection
• Number of hens – More hens means more eggs that could potentially crack each other
• Predator pressure – Areas with more predators benefit from frequent collection
• Time of year – Different seasons may require different collection schedules

Generally speaking, you should visit your chicken coop at least once daily to gather eggs. During extreme weather, increasing to 2-3 times per day is even better.

The Risks of Not Collecting Eggs

1. Eggs Can Freeze and Crack in Winter

If you live somewhere with cold winters, collecting eggs becomes even more critical. While hens typically slow down egg production during winter months, they’ll still lay some eggs.

Eggs left in frigid temperatures can freeze and crack, making them unsuitable for consumption. When eggs freeze and crack inside nesting boxes, they become vulnerable to bacteria from the chickens. Some chickens might even start eating these cracked eggs, creating a problematic habit.

Interestingly, if you collect a frozen egg that hasn’t cracked, you can still eat it! Freezing won’t change the egg’s safety, though it might affect the consistency for certain recipes. For basic cooking, just thaw the egg and use it normally.

2. Summer Heat Causes Quality Problems

Ideally, fresh eggs should be stored at room temperature or refrigerated. During hot summer months, outside temperatures can exceed safe levels, posing risks:

• Eggs kept too warm lose interior quality
• Eggs can become dangerous to eat if left in extreme heat
• Temperatures over 100°F can actually trigger embryo development (if you have a rooster)

Even without a hen sitting on them, fertile eggs in hot weather can begin developing into chicks. To prevent this, take your eggs indoors as quickly as possible during summer.

3. Bacteria Buildup Increases Over Time

Bacteria can enter clean nest boxes when chickens walk through droppings or other substances and then step on eggs. This bacteria isn’t visible, so you won’t know if an egg has been compromised.

The longer eggs remain in nest boxes, the more likely bacteria will penetrate through the eggshell pores. Fresh eggs have a natural protective coating called the “bloom” that helps prevent bacterial entry, but this protection weakens over time.

4. Chickens Might Develop Egg-Eating Habits

One of the most frustrating chicken behaviors is egg eating. Some chickens will purposely crack and eat their own eggs or those laid by other hens. This habit is difficult to break once established.

When eggs sit in nesting boxes for extended periods, they’re more likely to crack accidentally, giving chickens a taste for eggs. Regular egg collection significantly reduces this risk.

5. Risk of Breakage Increases

While eggs are surprisingly strong, they’re still fragile. Leaving eggs in nest boxes too long exposes them to various risks:

• Hens might step on them
• Eggs could be knocked out of nests
• New eggs might be laid on top of existing ones, causing cracks

These broken eggs aren’t just wasteful—they can encourage unwanted egg-eating behavior and attract pests.

6. Predators Become Attracted to Your Coop

Uncollected eggs can attract unwanted visitors to your chicken coop. Snakes are notorious egg thieves, and you definitely don’t want them hanging around your chickens. In some cases, snakes may even attack your hens.

Other predators attracted to eggs include raccoons, skunks, rats, opossums, and various other critters. Once these animals discover your coop as a food source, they’ll keep coming back—potentially threatening your chickens too.

The Ideal Egg Collection Schedule

Based on my experience and research, here’s the optimal approach to collecting eggs:

1. Morning collection (before 10 AM): Collect all eggs first thing in the morning. Start with empty nests, then carefully lift any sitting hens to check beneath them.

2. Midday collection (optional but recommended): If possible, collect eggs again around noon or early afternoon.

3. Evening collection (before closing the coop): Do a final collection before securing your coop for the night.

During extreme weather (very hot or very cold), aim for three collections daily. Otherwise, twice daily is a good standard practice.

Proper Egg Collection Techniques

The way you collect eggs matters almost as much as how often you collect them. Here’s my tried-and-true process:

1. Use the right container – Always use a clean wire basket or plastic container. Wash this container regularly to prevent contamination.

2. Don’t overstack – Never pile eggs too high in your basket. Stacking more than a few eggs increases the risk of breakage.

3. Maintain consistent temperature – Try to keep eggs at a steady temperature until they can be properly washed and stored.

4. Wash promptly – Clean eggs soon after collection to prevent bacterial growth and reduce contamination risk.

5. Use proper washing technique – When washing eggs, use water that’s warmer than the eggs themselves. This causes the egg to expand slightly, pushing dirt away from the pores rather than drawing bacteria in.

6. Clean dirty eggs thoroughly – For visibly soiled eggs, use mild soap or detergent to remove dirt.

7. Limit washing time – Don’t soak eggs; wash quickly and efficiently.

8. Dry and cool properly – After washing, dry eggs completely before storing them. While room temperature storage is acceptable for unwashed eggs with the bloom intact, refrigeration extends shelf life significantly.

What About Vacation Time?

We all need breaks, so what happens when you’re planning a vacation? If you’ll be gone for a week or less, you have a few options:

Option 1: Daily Collection by a Helper

The best scenario is having someone check on your chickens daily, collecting eggs during each visit. This person should also refill food and water and perform a quick wellness check on your flock.

Option 2: Less Frequent Collection

If daily collection isn’t possible, having someone collect eggs every 2-3 days can work, especially in mild weather (around 70°F). However, be aware that:

• Some eggs might need to be discarded
• You’ll need to float test eggs in water when you return (if they float, throw them out)
• There’s increased risk of cracked or soiled eggs

Option 3: Let Nature Take Its Course

Some chicken keepers simply accept that eggs will accumulate during their absence. Upon return, they discard all eggs and start fresh. This approach is wasteful but sometimes unavoidable for very short trips.

How to Test Egg Freshness After Delayed Collection

If you’ve been away or forgotten to collect eggs for several days, here’s a simple test to determine if they’re still safe to eat:

1. Fill a bowl with cool water
2. Gently place the egg in the water
3. Observe what happens:
   • Egg sinks and lays flat = very fresh
   • Egg sinks but stands upright = still good but older
   • Egg floats = discard immediately

This float test works because as eggs age, the air cell inside grows larger, making older eggs more buoyant.

My Personal Experience

Last summer, I went camping for a weekend and didn’t arrange for anyone to collect eggs. When I returned, I found 12 eggs in various nesting boxes. It was about 75°F that weekend, so not terribly hot.

I performed the float test on all eggs – 9 passed but 3 floated and were discarded. I was lucky the weather was mild, but I wouldn’t risk it again. Now I always arrange for a neighbor to collect eggs daily when I’m away.

Final Thoughts

Regular egg collection isn’t just about having fresh eggs – it’s an essential part of responsible chicken keeping. Collecting eggs daily (or more frequently in extreme weather) helps:

• Ensure egg safety and quality
• Prevent wasteful breakage
• Discourage egg-eating behavior
• Reduce predator attraction
• Maintain coop cleanliness

If you’re not willing to commit to regular egg collection, chickens might not be the best choice for your lifestyle. But with a simple daily routine and proper planning for absences, you can enjoy the benefits of fresh eggs while keeping your flock healthy and happy.

Remember, those little eggs represent both food for your family and the hard work of your feathered friends – they deserve proper attention!

If you don’t collect chicken eggs, they can become broken by other hens, which can lead to them eating the eggs, attract predators like raccoons and rats, or start a hen to become broody and incubate the eggs. Eggs left too long can also spoil, become dirty, or freeze in cold weather.

Yes, you should collect chicken eggs every day, and often more than once a day, especially in extreme hot or cold weather, to ensure egg quality, prevent contamination, avoid hens becoming broody or eating their own eggs, and prevent potential predators from getting to them.

Chicken eggs can typically survive without their mother for a few hours to a day or more, but this time is highly dependent on the ambient temperature and the stage of incubation. In warm conditions (around 100°F), an egg can remain viable for longer, potentially up to a day. However, if the temperature is cold, the egg could die within an hour.