Saffron laid her first egg today. What a clever girl! I really wasn’t expecting her to lay until spring although first year girls can lay through their first winter. Saffron was five months when she came to us. We have had Diamond and Saffron two months now so Saffron is seven months and they usually start about six months which is why I thought she may not lay this year.
I have had seramas start laying at seven months but the bigger girls tend to be a bit earlier. Diamond is nine months and not laying but I am putting that down to her having had gape worm.
Sugar went broody four days ago and then Snowflake also went broody two days ago so we had no girls laying. Saffron went in a nest box yesterday and briefly had a peck at the shavings so I had been wondering if she was getting ready to lay.
Today Sugar was in one nest box and Snowflake in the one next to it. Saffron wanted to go in but kept trying first one nest box then the other. I decided to make it easier for Saffron by putting Sugar and Snowflake together in one nest box and leaving the one next door free for her.
Things never go according to plan though and Saffron now decided that she would like to join the broody girls.
At this point I changed tactics and lifted the two broody girls out of the nest box and settled them both in the one next to it.
I didn’t lift the lid as I didn’t want to disturb Saffron now that she was in her own nest box. Saffron was being very vocal. She sounded rather like a duck.
When I went back to check Saffron was out in the run and there was her first egg in the nest box. It was smaller than I expected but they will probably get bigger in time. It had the tell tale streaks of blood that first eggs often have and it was quite long in shape.
Saffron’s egg is on the left, Snowflake’s egg is in the middle and Sugar’s egg is on the right. These were Snowflake’s and Sugar’s last eggs before going broody. Saffron has timed her start of egg laying well as for now she will be our only egg layer.
It will be interesting to see when her next egg is and how good an egg layer she will be. Well done Saffron!
Click here to see the history of my flock.
When a door closes …! Brilliant news that Saffron has begun to lay. She looks in outstanding condition, both plumage and headgear and could lay through the winter – fingers crossed. Love the photos of your broodies: they are so adorable.
When one door closes – that’s exactly what I thought. Despite the broodies driving me nuts I did think they looked super cute together.
The girls look so cute together in the nest box. Well done Saffron.
They do look cute don’t they!
Well done Saffron!! xx
Well done indeed! xx