The egg-laying plot thickens. It is frought with mystery. Now I don’t know if I have two hens laying or three. When The Husband let the chickens out this morning he found an egg in the hen house. That means either it was laid between the hours of 6pm last night and 6:45am this morning or it was really well-hidden in some wood shavings yesterday.
Yesterday I undertook some investigating, which was difficult. I tried not to disturb the chickens in their various egg-laying habits, which meant skulking and peeking around the corner, as every time they see me they run to the gate. My findings were somewhat confusing. Sam did a good deal of squawking so I waited until she had calmed down, then found an egg in the hen house, laid somewhere between 1pm and 2pm. I let them out into the vege pen but they weren’t out for too long as Strider was squawking and pacing around. A short time after I put them back in the run I found Strider standing by a wee egg on the ground by the water bell, which is not ideal. Then she started pecking at it, which was even less ideal so I jumped in there and got it before things got out of hand. The last thing I want is for any of them to start eating their eggs, as I hear it’s a hard habit to crack. Excuse the pun. Strider is kind of like The Husband in that she wants to touch everything so I’ll have to watch her.
Frodo spent a good deal of time in the hen house too, so I didn’t know what to make of that. I ended up letting them back out into the vege pen for a bit longer but put them back before I had a late afternoon nap, as they were all having a weird day. Tricksy little chickens. Whatever next? I have let them out earlier this morning since they seem to be later-in-the-day layers.
Wild Hope Homestead 