Shadow lays an egg

Three days ago Smoke went broody after laying fourteen eggs in three weeks which is quite good for her.

Out of our current flock Smoke had been the only girl to lay through the winter up until now. We only got Shadow and Sugar last September at about three months old.

Shadow started laying in February, stopped in August and laid ninety eggs. Sugar started laying in March, stopped in September and laid fifty seven eggs. I had wondered if either of these girls would lay in winter and thought it most likely to be Sugar because like Smoke she is a serial broody.

However Smoke resumed laying at the end of October and Sugar didn’t so I then assumed that neither Sugar or Shadow would lay again this year. But a few days ago Shadow became much more vocal and I noticed that she had a lovely red comb and face. I started to wonder if she was getting ready to lay again.

Yesterday Shadow started going in and out of the nest box next to the one Smoke was in. I suspected she was about to lay. Shadow really wanted the nest box that Smoke was in. Smoke is our most aggressive girl and did not want to share with Shadow.

This process went on for some time before Shadow finally settled in the nest box next door to Smoke.

The next time I checked Shadow had laid her egg in the nest box next door to Smoke’s.

Shadow’s egg is on the left of a medium shop bought egg for size comparison. We had just eaten the last of Smoke’s eggs so I couldn’t compare them but Smoke’s eggs are completely round where as Shadow’s egg is oval shaped.

What a clever girl! I felt ridiculously proud of Shadow.