A transfer machine for placing eggs in a poultry house on a floor thereof, said eggs being located in setter trays in which they were set, said transfer machine comprising: - a frame that can be rolled through the poultry house; - a carrying mechanism mounted on the frame and configured to carry at least one of said setter trays with set eggs; and - a transfer mechanism attached to the frame, having a series of egg pickup means each configured for gripping one of the set eggs, the transfer mechanism being configured for lifting the set eggs out of said setter trays and for placing the set eggs on said floor, characterised in that the transfer mechanism is movably mounted on the frame up and down in a predetermined path between an upper position and a lower position and in that the carrying mechanism is movably mounted on the frame between an outer position, in which the carrying mechanism is outside the path of the transfer mechanism, and an inner position, in which the carrying mechanism is located in the path of the transfer mechanism, the transfer machine further comprising: - a first actuator configured for moving the transfer mechanism up and down; - a second actuator configured for moving the carrying mechanism back and forth; - a third actuator configured for actuating the egg pickup means; and - a control mechanism configured to perform the following steps: a) controlling said second actuator for moving the carrying mechanism from its outer position to its inner position; b) controlling said first actuator for moving the transfer mechanism down to the set eggs located in said setter trays on the carrying mechanism; c) controlling said third actuator for gripping the set eggs with the egg pickup means; d) controlling said second actuator for moving the carrying mechanism from its inner position to its outer position; e) controlling said first actuator for moving the transfer mechanism downwards, towards the floor, along the path; f) controlling said third actuator for releasing the set eggs from the egg pickup means to place them on the floor; and g) controlling said first actuator for moving the transfer mechanism up to its upper position. - a frame that can be rolled through the poultry house; - a carrying mechanism mounted on the frame and configured to carry at least one of said setter trays with set eggs; and - a transfer mechanism attached to the frame, having a series of egg pickup means each configured for gripping one of the set eggs, the transfer mechanism being configured for lifting the set eggs out of said setter trays and for placing the set eggs on said floor, - a first actuator configured for moving the transfer mechanism up and down; - a second actuator configured for moving the carrying mechanism back and forth; - a third actuator configured for actuating the egg pickup means; and - a control mechanism configured to perform the following steps: a) controlling said second actuator for moving the carrying mechanism from its outer position to its inner position; b) controlling said first actuator for moving the transfer mechanism down to the set eggs located in said setter trays on the carrying mechanism; c) controlling said third actuator for gripping the set eggs with the egg pickup means; d) controlling said second actuator for moving the carrying mechanism from its inner position to its outer position; e) controlling said first actuator for moving the transfer mechanism downwards, towards the floor, along the path; f) controlling said third actuator for releasing the set eggs from the egg pickup means to place them on the floor; and g) controlling said first actuator for moving the transfer mechanism up to its upper position. a) controlling said second actuator for moving the carrying mechanism from its outer position to its inner position; b) controlling said first actuator for moving the transfer mechanism down to the set eggs located in said setter trays on the carrying mechanism; c) controlling said third actuator for gripping the set eggs with the egg pickup means; d) controlling said second actuator for moving the carrying mechanism from its inner position to its outer position; e) controlling said first actuator for moving the transfer mechanism downwards, towards the floor, along the path; f) controlling said third actuator for releasing the set eggs from the egg pickup means to place them on the floor; and g) controlling said first actuator for moving the transfer mechanism up to its upper position.