Sparkle’s first egg this year

Today Sparkle laid her first egg this year. It took us both by surprise! It just so happened that I went into the girl’s run to do my lunch time pick up when I noticed that Sparkle was missing. I went to the little coop and found Sparkle sitting just in front of it and looking distressed. I picked her up and checked her and found nothing that seemed wrong so I put her down again in the same spot.

Suddenly she stood up and her beak was open. I really thought something was wrong with her when right before my eyes her egg rolled out. It was slightly cracked and I wasn’t sure if this was because it had hit the corner of the ramp to the little coop or if it was thin shelled.

Sparkle sat for a moment then walked off and was back to normal.

Topaz’s egg is on the left for comparison and Sparkle’s egg is on the right

Sparkle’s eggs were always smaller than the other girls and narrow. This one is larger than usual and darker in colour.

I later cracked it in a dish to check the shell and it was thin. Sparkle has never laid a thin shelled egg before so I think it may just be because it’s her first after her winter break. I will scramble it and add it to some mash with a little limestone flour tomorrow morning to give her a little calcium boost.

This egg also had more white than usual as Sparkle’s eggs always had the tiniest amount of white. I think all these things are probably down to it being her first of the year.

Sparkle has only taken a break of three months. Topaz also started laying three months since her previous egg but Honey and Amber haven’t laid for five months now. It is eight months since Emerald laid her one and only egg since I have had her and seven months since Toffee last laid. All of the girl’s combs are getting more red though so I think it won’t be long before they start again.

The reason Sparkle’s egg was so unexpected by me was that Topaz was practising laying for ages before her first egg of the year. I also think it must have come as a surprise to Sparkle as she didn’t make it into the little coop which is something else that has never happened to her before.

Sparkle’s comb and wattles are a lovely red colour

Topaz and Sparkle

Topaz and Sparkle’s combs are very different. Topaz has a much bigger comb and wattles. Sparkle is also my fattest girl. The girls all have the same diet but what I think makes the difference is that Topaz is always scratching. She is always the last one scratching before bedtime. Sparkle scratches a bit but not nearly as much Topaz. Sparkle waddles while all the rest of the girls sprint. It is definitely the old adage of “eat less, move more”. I can’t put one girl on a diet though and I can’t make her exercise more.

It was the same with Pepper and Dotty. I seem destined to have one plump girl. The flock are happy and healthy though so I am not going to worry about it.

It will be good to have our best layer back on track. Maybe now I can stop buying eggs and we can have our own lovely eggs again.