I thought that yesterday might have been the day. Speckles has been very vocal to the point of being annoying. She stands at the bottom of the run shouting. It seems that it is for no reason but I think she is trying to announce to the world that she is getting ready to lay.
The hormones are raging and she has angrily had a go at Jasmine whenever she gets too close. She pulled a beak full of silky feathers from Jasmine’s back.
Speckles then settled herself in the nest box and set about piling pine shavings on her back. Peace at last!
Speckles in the nest box with pine shavings on her back
A bit later Speckles was back out in the run. I checked the nest box and …… nothing! No egg after all. More practice needed. Speckles always needs a bit of practice before laying her first egg after a break.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Maybe tomorrow.
That’s what I keep thinking.
It’s one heck of a practice; I find mine generally put shavings on their backs after they’ve laid. No egg, but she’s gone the whole distance!
Mine put shavings on their back before laying. I think they are trying to hide themselves. We always joke that we can no longer see them with a few shavings on their back.