Egg laying is in full swing

We now have five out of eight girls laying and the day before yesterday was our first “four egg day” with Speckles, Peaches, Barley and Butterscotch all laying and Honey laid the day before.

This is nearly a full house because the game girls, Emerald and Toffee, have a shorter laying season and start later. Last year Emerald started in March and Toffee in April and Topaz is a law unto herself and doesn’t seem to be bothering this year.

Now that we have more girls laying I am actually finding it easier to tell who’s egg it is. Honey laid her third egg today and they are small and pointy and the colour is a shade in between Butterscotch and Peaches, Barley and Speckles. These three lay pure white eggs and Peaches are bigger than Barley’s and Speckles are bigger than both girls. Butterscotch’s are a distinct pinkish shade, round and with a satin finish.

When Peaches or Barley are in the nest box Honey and either Barley or Peaches will stand outside shouting or go in and watch. If Honey is in the nest box then Peaches and Barley will stand outside shouting or go in and watch. This little trio seem obsessed with each others egg laying.

Speckles is now obsessed with me and jumps on my back almost every time I go into the run. She jumped on me while poop picking yesterday and rode on my back then stepped off at the table like Peaches and Barley do.

She follows me around and gets on eye level with me at every opportunity. She is such a changed girl. Sometimes Speckles jumps on me and then Peaches or Barley will join her as if they are not to be outdone and are showing that that is their trick.

Below is an example of the egg laying behaviour, this was today when Honey was laying her egg.

Honey is trying to lay her egg while Peaches watches

Barley joins the watch

Speckles gets on eye level with me

I am holding the nest box lid open while taking photos when Speckles jumps on to the lid at eye level with me. I can’t get over the change in speckles from being so nervous around me to being best friends with me. It is lovely.

Honey got her egg laid and it had a good shell so I am pleased that she is back to normal now. I did see her go to the grit at bedtime last night so she seems to have sorted herself out.

It is lovely having plenty of eggs once more but what a commotion it can be at egg laying time. So far none of the girls have laid in the small nest boxes. They obviously prefer the big ones.