How can you improve egg production in winter?

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Should I wash the eggs? Eggs are laid with a protective coating that resists bacteria. Brush off any dirt, but avoid washing the eggs unless necessary. Once washed, they should be used promptly.

Shelf-life. Eggs will easily last at least a couple or three weeks in the refrigerator. The eggs sold in supermarkets can be legally up to 100 days old. Pencil the date on each egg before you put it in the fridge so you know how old it is. As eggs age, they lose moisture and the air pocket at each end grows larger; that’s why fresh eggs will sink in water while an egg that floats is too old to eat.

How many eggs does a hen lay? Technically, about one every 30 hours. Realistically, that means an egg every day or two per hen. The first winter they may keep laying through the winter, but otherwise they tend to take the winter off unless you outfit their coop with extra lighting and heat during the winter months. Chickens are most productive their first couple years, egg-laying declines after that. Time of year, age, health, temperature, breed, and other factors affect productivity.

Will they hatch? Don’t be silly. No rooster means no chicks.

Broken eggs. Sometimes all you’ll find in the nest is broken eggshells. If your hens are getting enough calcium for strong eggs and a bed of straw is cushioning the nest, the problem might be that they’re eating their own eggs. Try collecting the eggs promptly to break them of this habit. Also, rats are known to eat eggs—another reason to collect eggs at least once a day.