jrhartley, just take the eggs out of the nest. It won't stop the hens from laying, and if you leave them, eventually they will go bad.
Here's what the egg people say about storage:
STORING
The refrigerator is where you should store your eggs. Fresh uncooked eggs in the shell can be kept refrigerated in their cartons for at least 4 to 5 weeks beyond the pack date. Properly handled and stored, eggs rarely "spoil". If you keep them long enough, they are more likely to simply dry up! But, don't leave eggs out. They'll age more in 1 day at room temperature than they will in 1 week in the refrigerator.
FRESHNESS
How recently an egg was laid has a bearing on its freshness but is only one of many factors. The temperature at which it is held, the humidity and the handling all play their part. These variables are so important that an egg one week old, held under ideal conditions, can be fresher than an egg left at room temperature for one day. The ideal conditions are temperatures that don't go above 40?F. (4?C.) and a relative humidity of 70 to 80%.
SALMONELLA
Although the inside of the egg was once considered almost sterile, Salmonella enteritidis (Se) has been found recently inside a small number of eggs (much less than 1%). If an egg does contain Se, the numbers in a freshly laid egg probably will be small and, if the eggs are properly refrigerated, will not multiply enough to cause illness in a healthy person.
Se will not grow at temperatures below 40?F. and is killed at 160?F., known as the danger zone, are ideal for rapid growth.