It’s all going on with the egg laying here at the moment! The day before yesterday Speckles was very vocal and at one point had a scratch around in the corner of the chicken shed. I had a feeling that she might be getting ready to lay again.
Yesterday she was settled in a nest box.
Speckles in a nest box
She came out of the nest box and there was no egg. The next time I checked she was back in the nest box and this time she had a little pile of pine shavings on her back.
Speckles back in a nest box with pine shavings on her back
The next time I checked Speckles was just leaving the nest box and this time there was an egg. It was a long, torpedo, shaped egg which seems to be a feature of a first egg after a long break.
Speckles long egg on the right
Smoke’s egg is on the left, Flame’s egg is in the middle and Speckles long egg is on the right.
Speckles and Spangle’s eggs
Speckles and Spangles eggs together to show that although they are different in size they are very similar in shape. I know it is probably boring to most people that I show a lot of egg photos here but I am fascinated by how different my girls’ eggs are.
When Speckles laid her first egg of the year in March it had a streak of blood on it. I am pleased to see that there is no blood on this second egg and it reassures me that Speckles is okay despite her lack of eggs. I am not sure if this will be a lone egg or if there will be more. Only time will tell.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Your eggs are all different sizes and shapes. Makes them more interesting, and lets you know who has laid the egg.
I love that my girls eggs are all so different because as you say I can tell who laid them. I didn’t think I would continue to know who laid with a bigger flock but as only half lay at a time and most are quite distinct it has enabled me to continue to know who has laid.
Pleased that Speckles has laid another; am I right in thinking that, although her comb is the size and shape of her normal “laying-season” comb, it is npot as red as sometimes it has been in the past?
I think that Speckles comb isn’t as big as it has been in the past. I think this may be because she isn’t laying regularly or maybe her age. Last year she laid twelve eggs at an average of three a month. This year she has laid two so far and they are three months apart. I used to think that her comb looked like a cockerel’s whereas it doesn’t at the moment. Maybe both less red and less large.
How strange that she lays so infrequently but she really is a lovely girl xx
It is very odd and yet she looks fine so I don’t worry about her. She has never been a great layer and she is getting old but she seems happy and she still jumps on me all the time. xx