Topaz has been very vocal for days now and has been having a twirl around in the nest boxes. This morning I thought she was actually going to lay her egg. She sat in the nest box for nearly two hours.
Topaz sat in the nest box
She then came out shouting and with excitement I went in to look in the nest box. No egg! Oh well, she is just practising. Topaz always did need a lot of practice and has always had a lot of false alarms. I am sure she will lay an egg soon.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
I think Bernadette (one of my Pekins) is about to come back into lay too! No egg yet but she’s started squatting again when I stroke her, and this morning she was all agitated and shouty.
That is so odd because it seems several people are saying this is happening early this year. Topaz started mid January last year so this is a month early. I know it is unseasonably mild but it is supposed to be the light levels that kick start laying and we are heading towards the shortest day.
It definitely sounds as if Bernadette is getting ready too. I know when Topaz gets all vocal that is a sign and sitting the nest box for a practise run is the next sign. Perhaps it is going to be early eggs for us all. The only problem with Topaz is the sooner she starts the sooner she stops but we can’t have everything!
Cracks me up the way they practice. I have hens who do this too. I’ll bet you anything Topaz lays tomorrow. I think when they come back into lay, the pressure of the yolk moving through the process triggers them to go nest.
Very unscientific. Just my thought on how they roll.
I too think she will probably lay today. It is funny that something triggers them into thinking it’s about to happen. I think the girls like Topaz that lay less often are less tuned into it whereas the good layers like Butterscotch know exactly when it’s going to happen. Like all things, I guess more practice makes them better at it.
When I saw her the other day she looked so good, better than she has looked for a long time .She was also very vocal which means something is changing.
On another note they all looked lovely .
I agree, you can always by the red comb and being very vocal. They are all looking good.
Bernie did it! Egg today ?
Topaz did too but I am saving the post until the morning as I have already put a post out today. Hurrah for our girls!
Great!
Ditto!
It’d be a nice idea, amongst your chicken friends – or family – to ‘open a book’ as to how many eggs Topaz will produce this time, before she goes broody. I’d be happy to fund a £5 bag of shavings to the winner!
It is a nice idea but chicken friends is just Jackie! and the rest is blog including you. Fun idea but no one else here to join in. My family already think I am chicken crazy. The blog world sustains my chicken madness and if any of you want to join this idea, go for it, but I fear our numbers are few. Nice idea though.