Is Emerald getting ready to lay?

Yesterday Emerald went into the nest box for the first time this year. Her tiny comb and her face are now quite pink. In winter her face is white.

Emerald in the nest box

Emerald started laying half way through March last year so she could be getting ready to lay soon.

Broody Butterscotch

Butterscotch is properly broody. Because I can’t close up the nest boxes I am going to have to let her stay broody. I am getting her out of the nest box three times a day to have a quick feed, drink, poop and scratch.

After the bedtime corn I am closing the nest boxes so that she goes to roost in the chicken shed instead of sitting in the nest box. This is working quite well, she just goes to bed earlier than usual. She is now first in instead of last in but it means I don’t have to move her from the nest box.

Once Butterscotch is settled for the night I reopen the nest boxes ready for the morning. It will be interesting to see how long she stays broody with the nest boxes open. Luckily I now have four other girls laying eggs and maybe more will start soon.