Apricot is getting ready to start laying eggs. She went into the nest box for about an hour today. I think she is practising and hopefully this means her first egg will be in the nest box.
Apricot in the nest box
Her comb is red but she isn’t squatting yet so I think it will be a little longer. Silky feathered girls mature slower than straight feathered girls. Rusty started laying one month after Freckles. Dandelion and Cinnamon have now been laying for a month so it’s about the right time.
Apricot doesn’t squat when I stroke her back
Freckles squats when I touch her back
You can always tell when they are about a week from laying as they start to squat. You only have to hover your hand over their back or lightly touch their back and they drop down into the squat. Freckles wings drop down and she arches her back into a U shape.
I knew that Apricot wasn’t ready to start laying yet so I felt she needed permission to leave the nest box as she had been in there for an hour.
Apricot allows me stroke her without squatting
I picked her up and put her out in the run. She went straight to the apple and greens as if she was relieved that she could now have some treats. I expect she will return to practice in the nest box between now and starting to lay.
Some girls go to the nest box on the first day they lay an egg and some girls practice for a week or so before their first egg. All girls are different but most seem to know where they should go to lay their egg. It will be good to have our last girl start laying soon.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Such a sweet little girl.
She is. She is so pretty but also so friendly.
It’ll be great if she’s laying as some of the older girls start to moult. Emerald is doing really well this year.
That’s what I am hoping, that she will start as others stop. They are supposed to lay a little less well with each passing year but Emerald is laying the best she ever has. I think she likes the new flock dynamic.