Just over a week ago I did a post about a five egg day. I said that we had six girls laying as Cloud had laid the day before. What I didn’t realise was that we had five girls laying because that egg the day before from Cloud was her last one. She has joined Mango in molting. I doubt we will be getting any more eggs from either of these two this year.
Then we lost our lovely Dot and on the same day Gold went broody. She had laid eight eggs in two weeks. So we were now down to three girls laying.
Then two days later Sugar went broody. She had laid six eggs in eight days. Her last three eggs were laid three days running which is always a sign that she’s about to go broody. So we are now down to two girls laying. Just Storm and Snow. How quickly it all changes.
At least with only two girls laying it is easy to keep everything closed once they have laid. I am lifting Gold and Sugar out in between but I will start Sugar in the broody cage over night for a couple of nights because otherwise she is unbreakable.
The funny thing is how strong chickens’ instincts are for the potential of chicks. The two remaining laying girls choose to their egg next to the broody as they know the broody will then sit on their egg. What they don’t know of course is that without a cockerel it is futile.
I just hope Storm and Snow don’t go broody or we won’t have any egg layers. We could do with Red getting started but her comb doesn’t look anything like Autumn’s comb yet. She doesn’t look ready to start laying any time soon.
Oh well, whatever will be, will be.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
They do look sweet in he nest box together.
They do. Sugar always has a much more broody look than Gold, maybe because she is a more committed broody. It doesn’t put Storm off though.
As you say, the key advantage is that, with only 2 layers, you can seal off the nest boxes. Lacey, my light sussex, is broody again, but she’s the only one for now. It is so nice that the girls who are laying can actually get into nest boxes unimpeded – unless by one another! 12 eggs today and only 2 nest boxes used, leaving another 6 totally ignored. Btw, Snow looks really pretty in the nest box.
Goodness, 12 eggs! We had our 2 for the last 2 days so I knew there would be none today and could leave everything closed all day. We are barely going to get enough to keep us going especially as the ones we are getting are so small but never mind. Snow is really pretty and I got a good close up of her today which I may put out soon. From a flock of 8 a maximum of 2 eggs is pretty poor but it was it is. As long as they stay healthy I am happy.