Peaches first egg of the year

Today we had our first “three egg day” of the year. This morning Butterscotch laid her egg about an hour later than the day before as is her pattern.

We had no lunches to deliver today so were at home for the nest box antics. There was a lot of shouting from Barley and Peaches.

At last I caught Barley in the nest box

Peaches was looking in at Barley

Honey was also looking in and Barley came out shouting

Peaches had been scratching in the nest box earlier so I thought she was getting ready to lay. Barley had been in the nest box several times but Peaches and Honey seemed obsessed with watching her which she didn’t like at all.

A girl needs a bit of privacy and as well as growling at them she came out of the nest box shouting.

For ages we could hear them shouting but I put it down to Barley wanting to lay and Peaches and Honey not leaving her in peace.

At lunch time they were shouting again so I checked the nest box once more.

At the next spell of shouting I found this

Peaches was standing over an egg and Honey was looking in.

Look how red Peaches face and comb is

I removed the egg and Honey and Peaches left the nest box but Peaches returned and sat again. I now wasn’t sure if the egg was Barley’s and Peaches had gone in to lay her egg as well or if it was Peaches and she hadn’t realised that she had already laid it. I knew that I would be able to tell if another egg appeared.

Later Peaches was back in the nest box

When I next checked both Barley and Peaches were out in the run and there was a long oval egg in the nest box.

I then knew for sure that the first egg was Barley’s and this one was Peaches. Barley’s first egg had been this shape too and like last year Peaches has laid her first egg two weeks after Barley’s first egg.

Today’s three eggs

Butterscotch’s egg is on the left, Barley’s egg is in the middle and Peaches egg is on the right.

So now we have three girls laying. I think Speckles will be next, her comb is a lovely red colour and she is more vocal than usual. I am loving having all these eggs. Well done girls!