Cinnamon has become more vocal in the last couple of days and this morning I held my hand behind her and she too squatted for me. It may be a race to see who lays first between Freckles and Cinnamon.
I went to get my camera to take a photograph of Cinnamon and when I returned she was checking out the nest box.
Cinnamon checks out the nest box while Dandelion looks on
Freckles joins Cinnamon in the nest box
Cinnamon’s face and comb are as red as Freckles
At the moment I think they were just enjoying scratching and pecking in the nest box more than anything else but they are definitely getting ready to start laying again soon. We are forecast a very cold couple of weeks though so I am not sure if that will delay the start of egg laying.
I dread another cold spell because I always worry that it will set Dandelion back again with the bubbly eyes. I may need to give another dose of tylan yet again. It’s forecast to get as low as two degrees during the day and down to as low as minus five at night. That also means having to defrost the chicken’s water in the mornings.
I was really hoping for better weather soon and this is really cold for the end of February and beginning of March. It is forecast to last for a couple of weeks and there will be bitterly cold winds as well. It’s a shame when egg laying seems imminent to have the worry of another cold spell but Dandelion has come this far so I will keep a close eye and treat again if needed.
I can’t wait to get the cold weather behind us and and start to relax about Dandelion and eggs would not only be a welcome bonus but also a sign that all is right with the girls.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
We look as though we are in for some very cold weather, coming in from the east, hope it don’t put the girls back.
Yes it does look like a very cold spell and longer than usual. I hope it doesn’t set them back too. I dread this sort of weather as I worry about Dandelion coping with it.
I’m sure you’ll be right about return to laying – the two best layers from last season (I think?) likely to be first back into lay this season.
The forecast is awful, although nights have been very cold here, meaning de-icing the drinkers for the past couple of mornings. Hope Dandelion copes and, fingers crossed, this will be the last cold spell we’ll get until the end of the year!
You are right that that they are the two best layers. The forecast looks worse every time I check it. It’s now saying by mid week nought degrees during the day and minus six some nights. I dread it. I just hope Dandelion can get through this and then as you say maybe that will be the last of it.
The weather is really colder this year.
Just out of interest I’ve just looked up the previous weather for the past years for my location:
Today low/high: -3/2
26/02/17: 6/12
26/02/16: 0/7
26/02/15: 4/12
26/02/14: 2/10
Defintely a lot colder this year!
I hope everything is OK for you.
It is definitely colder. It’s said that it’s the coldest for five years which that seems to prove. The girls seem to be coping with the cold and dry conditions better though than the earlier cold and damp or wet. I will post later today when I have more time.