Differing eggs

Both Salmon and Spangle have now started laying. I am amazed that at the moment I can still tell the eggs apart.

I didn’t catch either Salmon or Spangle laying but I knew it was them that had laid. I found Spangle’s egg just inside the pop hole in the morning. I knew it was her egg as it was the typical torpedo shaped egg that she always lays.

Salmon’s egg was in the nest box and although I missed her actually sitting before laying I knew it was her egg as she was very vocal and kept returning to the nest box after I removed the egg. The girls get a bit confused before they get into their stride.

Shadow laid her egg soon afterwards and it was the typical small size that all her eggs have been so this proved to me that the other egg was Salmon’s.

Sugar had laid some oval shaped eggs but is erratic at the moment. She doesn’t seem to have hit her stride yet.

Other than these girls Flame is the only other one laying at the moment and there is no mistaking her eggs. They are large and always have calcium bubbles on them.

On the left is Spangle’s torpedo shaped egg. Next is Shadow’s small round egg. Next is Salmon’s slightly bigger round egg and on the right is Flame’s egg.

Again Spangle’s egg is on the left, next is Shadow’s egg, next is Salmon’s bigger egg and on the right is Flame’s egg.

I took these photos a couple of days ago put didn’t put out a post as I wanted to do my tribute to Marmite.

Today the same girls have laid again and once more Spangle’s is torpedo shaped, Shadow’s is the smallest and Salmon’s a bit bigger. Today’s eggs are pretty much identical to the eggs above.

Shadow has turned out to be a really good layer and has just laid four days in a row. I am happy her eggs are small as I think it is easier on her laying small eggs.

I wonder if this means Shadow may turn out to be a broody girl as it’s the good egg layers that tend to go broody.

Sugar doesn’t seem to have properly got going yet and I have no idea why Ebony isn’t laying. Ebony has a very red face and comb and is as active as normal. Maybe she will turn out to be another Speckles who never laid as well as her breed usually do.

In other news Smoke has just come out of being broody. As usual she began having longer spells out in the run and for the last few days has only gone in the nest box when there is an egg to sit on. Once I take the egg she stays out. Smoke has also perched in the chicken shed for the last three nights instead of a nest box.

Luckily there are plenty of eggs even without all the girls laying. I expect Smoke will start laying again in about a week’s time. Well done girls!