21 weeks old tomorrow.
As you know the girls have started laying eggs. We are now getting about an extra egg a day and yesterday we had 10 for the day. They are getting there. I spent some time with them as they were laying yesterday. Usually I try to leave them to their work but I am glad I spent some time in the corner observing the ritual.
When I first went in the coop Fuzzy was in the bottom left nest, Zelda was in the top right and there was one of the almost solid black ones in the middle top. One of the hens went up and attacked Zelda and forced her out of the nest. This happened twice. I have not figured out why. In the meantime, there was a hen on the top of the boxes cackling orders to everyone below her. If someone wanted to enter a box, she had to tell them what she thought first. When she was done they would enter. Fuzzy was the first to lay her egg. She stood very still for a few minutes afterwards and then started trying to throw litter at it, I guess to cover it and keep it warm and safe. Then she left the nest as several of the other girls on the floor were cackling at her as if to say, way to go, good job.
By this time Zelda was back in her nest and they were leaving her alone this time. One of the black girls climbed up into the nest where Fuzzy had been. She started moving the egg to the side so she could sit down. Throughout her time in the box she would stop and make sure the egg was up under her breast. Once she was done she checked on her egg and then on Fuzzy's egg, threw some litter at them from the next box and went on her way. Again the cheering section was on the floor cackling at her to let her know how well she had done.
Finally Zelda was ready. She ruffled up and let her egg go. But she sat there afterward for the longest time. Almost like she just wanted to hatch it. When she did leave the nest she went to the nest next door and was throwing litter out over her shoulder. I think she was meaning to cover her egg but she was no where even close to it. No one cackled for her so she cackled for herself as she got down.
During the process of all of this you would see a pale faced hen sit in front of the nest of one of the layers. It was almost as if she was watching to learn for when her time comes along. I am not sure if that is the reason but it would make sense, they don't have a mama to teach them so maybe they learn from each other. Either way it was fun to watch all of this and how they relate to one another.
Here are some pics of how things have been going in the Redbud Roost....
This is our first weeks worth of eggs.
The kids bought this at a yard sale because they said we needed a rooster.
Here is Matilda.
Miss Zelda.
Of course, Dumplin.
Here is a partial load of clover for snack time. These girls are something else.
They do like the fresh greens every day though.
We probably should get some of them a bib, or at least a book on etiquette.
Nesting is good....
But apparently it is better when you have two of your sisters sitting on you while you lay your egg.
Yesterday we found a monster egg! There must be a goose among them.
Daniel was so excited to show it off.
It takes muscles to hold an egg that big. ; )
I built a grass box (it is in the top right hand corner of the picture) to plant wheat grass in. It is covered with wire so the grass can grow through but they can't scratch it up. It will be a nice treat to have around when I can't get the green stuff to them fast enough.
We are all having a great time with the girls. Next time I will tell you about how to confuse the daylights out of them, literally. Oh and about the girl that did not want to go to bed.
