I knew Topaz was ready to lay again after a few practice runs at it. Yesterday afternoon she was missing on parade and when I lifted the nest box she was standing in the “just laid an egg” position. I brushed her tail with my hand causing her to leave the nest box shouting. There in the shavings was her warm egg.
Topaz spotted the apple I had just bought in and immediately set about pecking vigorously at it. Her egg is a lighter colour than Butterscotch’s egg and doesn’t have the satin sheen. It is also slightly rounder and a bit larger.
I didn’t take a photo because I didn’t think the difference would show up in a photo.
This will change my end of year egg count. I had said that Topaz had laid six eggs last year and eight eggs this year but by starting back into lay a month early she has now added egg number nine and may yet add a few more. She hasn’t laid any for the nine months in between.
Research shows that the most prolific egg layers wear themselves out and it shortens the length of their life. With Topaz I would expect her to live a very long life. We will make the most of her eggs while she is laying and wait to see what the coming year brings for her. For now though, we will triumph in her early start back to egg laying.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Great news – maybe this year she’ll get into her stride – she does, after all, look like a business-like layer, in peak condition! Cotton sitting on nest tonight – has laid 12 eggs; if the temperatures stay as good, I’ll put her and Charger, who’s also broody, into the anti-broody coop from tomorrow. Hope springs eternal!
Every year Topaz looks in peak condition, it is really weird. Butterscotch hasn’t laid for three days now. Again she stopped after exactly three weeks and is dropping a few feathers once more, she had laid thirteen eggs this time, her least so far but I think it’s because of the shorter days (again another similarity to Cotton). I am waiting to hear her clucking! These girls! What can we do. So far I have only had one broody at a time but that may change with Topaz and Butterscotch. We have decided to make some more nest boxes before spring, I think we will need them with with eight girls laying and at any one time one or two broody.
Well done that girl?
Well done indeed.