It was just over a week ago that Flame looked as if she was getting ready to lay but she hadn’t shown any interest in the nest box after that until today.
Today Flame was manic and I knew this meant she was going to lay this time. When Smoke and Ebony started laying they just chose a nest box and got on with the job. Ebony did a bit of scratching around in the nest box but that was it.
First of all Flame flicked loads of pine shavings out of the nest boxes. Next Smoke wanted to lay and whichever nest box she went to Flame wanted that one too. This caused Smoke to keep coming out and shouting. For a serama Smoke has the loudest of voices.
Eventually we closed Smoke in a nest box so that she could lay in peace and I kept checking on her so that I could let her out as soon as she laid. Flame kept jumping on the nest box Smoke was in and pecking at the closed door and making a mournful sound.
Next time I opened the nest box to see if Smoke had laid Flame jumped in with her. I checked under Smoke and found her egg and Smoke left the nest box followed by Flame.
When I next checked on Flame she was running from one nest box to the next making her mournful sound. She kept looking at me as if she wanted my help and at one point looked she was going to jump on me which she has never done before. I decided to try stroking her and was amazed that she let me. Flame has never let me stroke her before. She is usually quite indifferent to me and would just move away if I reached out towards her.
The next time I checked Flame had at last settled in a nest box. As usual she had put some pine shavings on her back. I returned a short while later to find Flame back out in the run. I checked the nest box and there was her first egg of the year.
Smoke’s egg is on the right, Ebony’s egg is in the middle and flame’s egg is on the left. It is her usual large size and pale colour. This is why it is so easy for me to tell who has laid which egg, not that I could have missed it today, with the fuss that Flame made.
It is great to have another girl laying and I just hope that Flame lays her next egg without quite so much fuss.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Well done Flame.
She made a meal of it but she got there in the end. It’s a few weeks earlier than she started last year.
Yay – you have a few girls laying now xx
Three now. Enough to stop buying shop eggs. xx
Great news. Sprinkles has started too, and is laying a big egg for her size – just as well, as some of those who did start seem to have stopped again!
It’s a funny time of year for starting and stopping. Ebony is laying less often than in the past but Smoke is laying really well until she goes broody. Well done Sprinkles.