Sugar lays an egg and the new girls find the water bottle

Over the last few days Sugar has been going to the grit and oyster shell. We wondered if she was getting ready to lay again. I felt a bit of trepidation about the possibility of her laying again in case it would be her downfall.

Sugar had struggled with laying last summer. She usually starts laying in February so is quite late to start this year making me think that she might not lay at all.

After going in and out of the nest box Sugar eventually settled down in the nest box. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

Later while I was in the garden I heard Sugar’s egg shout. I went and checked and there was her egg and it was perfect. Sugar was out in the run scratching and digging and looking fine. Sugar had also not looked poorly before laying either. The only indication she was coming back in to lay was that she was going to the grit and oyster shell.

Sugar’s egg is her normal size and has a good shell. I am so pleased. It seems like Sugar is fixed apart from the fact that she still sits an awful lot.

Yesterday I put a water bottle up for the new girls as I was still worried about not seeing them go to the water dish. I thought another water source couldn’t do any harm and may encourage them to drink.

As soon as I put the water bottle up the main flock girls started pecking at it from their side. Mango and Cloud were pecking at it the most. This caused it to drip on the new girls’ side and eventually seemed to show them what to do.

Before long Snow had got the hang of the water bottle. Red is a bit slower at everything and put her beak over the spout instead of under it but now she knows where the water is I think she will soon get the hang of it.

I am feeling happier now that the new girls know where there is water. I will continue giving them mash each day until I see them drinking from the water dish as the mash gives them a bit more water.

Last night when the main flock had gone to bed the new girls had settled in the corner between the the little coop and the chickens’ patio. Snow was nearest the little coop. This meant that it was easy to scoop her up and put her in without any fuss. I then put Red in.

I hope they continue to settle here at bedtime because it makes it really easy to put them in. I think they are also getting used to me going in to their part of the run. It seems to be going really well.

Next day

Cloud has just laid after just over two week’s break. We now have five girls laying, Dot, Gold, Storm, Sugar and Cloud.