For the last few days I have thought that Speckles was getting ready to lay. This morning she sat in the nest box for a few minutes.
At lunch time my husband was home before me and he said that there was no egg in the nest box but he could tell Speckles had been in there as she had pine shavings on her back.
I went up to take a look and I timed it just right. She was sat in the nest box with pine shavings on her back. Some of the girls like to flick the shavings on their back while laying their egg. It is a throw back to being in the wild where they would flick grass or leaves over their back to hide themselves.
I had left my camera in the storage cabinet so I grabbed it and was just in time to catch Speckles standing over her egg.
Speckles in the nest box with Honey looking in
Speckles is standing over her first egg
Her egg was long and large. The largest egg this year so far.
Butterscotch’s egg is on the left then Barley’s egg next, Peaches egg next and Speckles large egg on the right.
Again, from the left, Butterscotch then Barley then Peaches then Speckles on the right
That is a large egg from such a little girl. Speckles is our smallest girl. This is the first egg she has laid while with us as she was moulting when we got her at the end of July. We now have four out of eight girls laying.
Well done Speckles.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
I’m lagging behind ! That is just wonderful.
Well done that girl X
I felt ridiculously proud of her. It’s extra special as it’s our first egg from her and she got the job done without a lot of practising and shouting like some of the girls. Also it’s such a big egg from such a little girl.
Another great coup! I bet she’ll prove a good and consistent layer – and anconas are not renowned for going broody!
Great to have a girl not known for going broody. She didn’t do all the shouting and practising either but just quietly got her huge egg laid. What a star! I have become very attached to Speckles.
While collecting her egg from under her I stroked her and she was quite happy for me to touch her. Such a contrast to how nervous she was at first. That makes me love her even more.
Yes – you;ve made huge strides in overcoming her nervousness; most of mine are quite tame, but my Japanese runs, if ever I get within 6 ft of her.
It’s quite funny to see a big egg come from a small hen…I often wonder how they can do that!?! 😉
Me too. I thought “ouch!” yet she laid it quite quickly and no blood streak either.