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Eggs

Practical, sourced guides on Eggs for backyard keepers of every level.

Eggs
Eggs guides

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Every guide is sourced from university extensions, USDA guidance and real backyard experience.

Warm LED light glowing inside a winter chicken coop as hens wake at pre-dawn

Why your hens quit laying in winter and what actually brings them back

Short days trigger the laying drop, not cold. Learn the biology, supplemental light debate, nutrition fixes, and which…

9 min read
broken eggshell and yolk residue in a nest box with a Rhode Island Red hen nearby

How to stop hens from eating their eggs: causes, fixes, and when to cut your losses

Find out why hens start eating their eggs and how to stop it fast - calcium gaps, broken…

10 min read
Two golden yolks side by side in a white bowl after cracking a double yolk egg

Double yolk eggs: why they happen, how common they are, and whether they can hatch

Find out what causes double yolk eggs, how often hens lay them, whether they're safe to eat, and…

8 min read
Three hens laying eggs in a wooden nest box inside a backyard coop

Do hens need a rooster to lay eggs? Here is what is actually happening

No, hens lay eggs without a rooster - but only a rooster makes those eggs fertile. Learn the…

6 min read
Black Australorp hen settled in a wooden nest box on a winter morning with one brown egg

Do chickens lay eggs in winter, and what can you realistically expect?

Most hens slow down or stop laying as daylight drops below 12 hours. Learn why it happens, which…

8 min read
Freshly collected backyard chicken eggs of mixed colors in a wicker basket on a farmhouse counter

Collecting, washing, and storing eggs: a practical guide for backyard flock owners

How to store fresh eggs from your backyard flock - bloom explained, wash-or-not debate, counter vs fridge shelf…

10 min read
freshly collected chicken eggs of mixed colors resting in straw-lined nest box

Chicken eggs: everything backyard keepers need to know about laying, collecting, and storing

Learn how hens lay eggs (no rooster needed), which breeds produce the most, how to collect and store…

11 min read
Close-up of cracked egg in white bowl showing a small blood spot on the yolk

Blood spots in eggs: what they are, whether they're safe, and how to see fewer of them

Blood spots in eggs are safe to eat - find out what causes them, why backyard eggs show…

7 min read
Live flock planner

Not sure how big to build?

Slide to your flock size and get the coop, run, roost and nest-box numbers in seconds, sized to university-extension standards.