While I was working in the garden yesterday, Clara was in and out of the nesting box several times, often sitting in it for a bit of time. All the while,
she was making quite a ruckus. I thought for sure we would have an egg, but by nightfall, there was no egg and she took to roosting as usual.
Today, while in the garden again, Clara began making long and repeated squawking sounds. I just thought she was mad at someone or was being bossy (she's the Queen hen). But not long after that began, I came out to see that she had laid our first egg! Such a proud moment...
The nesting box is a milk crate and seemed to be a good size. Except for the fact that Clara kept scratching the hay in the box and it kept falling through the holes in the bottom, it worked great. So shortly after she laid that egg I made a quick modification to the nesting box and inserted a piece of wood into the bottom of the box under the hay. Hopefully when they're scratching around to rearrange the hay next time, it will work out better and whoever it is won't be sitting on the bottom of the box but on a nice soft pile of hay.
Today, while in the garden again, Clara began making long and repeated squawking sounds. I just thought she was mad at someone or was being bossy (she's the Queen hen). But not long after that began, I came out to see that she had laid our first egg! Such a proud moment...
The nesting box is a milk crate and seemed to be a good size. Except for the fact that Clara kept scratching the hay in the box and it kept falling through the holes in the bottom, it worked great. So shortly after she laid that egg I made a quick modification to the nesting box and inserted a piece of wood into the bottom of the box under the hay. Hopefully when they're scratching around to rearrange the hay next time, it will work out better and whoever it is won't be sitting on the bottom of the box but on a nice soft pile of hay.
That is so cool. I wonder why yours laid first, when mine are older. Could it be the breed? or the heat? I know that you guys get hot during the day, but you get a reprieve at night, and we really don't. I added hay to our nesting boxes last night, but didn't put in the inspiration egg yet.
ReplyDeletecongratulations!
I don't know why and I have no idea what breed Clara is. I just call her "the double-wide". She's so much stockier than the others. I checked the thermometer in the henhouse yesterday. It read around 85 degrees in the heat of the day. It's about 110 in the sun.
ReplyDeleteThey do eat alot of greens everyday. I have to add them to their pen daily because they've cleared it completely. Maybe try moving in a sacrificial potted plant for them to destroy??
Clara has a new habit of making her "brawk brawk bragaaaawwwk" sounds every morning now starting at 7:30 and continuing off and on throughout the day. I'm sure the neighbors are really looking forward to their eggs (because I'm pretty sure that it's the only way they'll be willing to keep listening to that!!) She laid the second egg this morning. It was much smaller than the first, but, apparently, just as painful!
I put the inspiration egg in this morning (before the 2nd egg arrived) and removed the one she laid on Sunday. Petunia is still in and out of the nesting box. As soon as Clara laid the egg and departed (she gets out immediately), Petunia went in to check things out.
Love all your posts Tammy, I look forward to them!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ar! 3rd egg arrived this afternoon. So exciting!
ReplyDelete