You can't tell me that of all five Ameraucanas, only ONE is laying (Blondie #1). I hear Lady Grey clucking around in that "ugh, I'm uncomfortable, where do I go to get rid of this load?" way that the other laying girls do. Red still gives me that "uh, are you a rooster?" crouch whenever I come near. I'm finding only one blue-green egg, however, in the late mornings.Cinnamon (she of Zombie Chicken and Mighty Grub Hunter fame) has a few different places she'll lay if the favorite hen box is occupied. There's a place behind the rosemary hedge, another under one of the spikey plants in the front garden bed, and yet another under a second spikey plant up on the hill right across from the kitchen door. I've yet to find any blue-green eggs in these spots, nor any in the usual chicken hangouts.
[ Which leads to a rant: why is it that only ONE box out of the EIGHT we provide ever used? What's so blinkin' special about THAT box? It used to be the box opposite that was the favorite; now it's another, and nobody wants to use the others. The other chickens - besides pragmatic Cinnamon, that is - will WAIT until the box is empty before they'll lay there. ]
I know there's gotta be eggs around here somewhere. More than likely, I'll finally find the clutch, and there'll be over a dozen rotting eggs waiting. Oooh, yeah! Or even better: the dogs will find them, start crunching or walking through them, spreading that special sulphur smell throughout the property. Yeah, that'd be reeeeeal special.
By the way, thanks for all the well wishes about my back! Am 75% recovered. Just in time to work on the property this weekend... wait, what? How's that fair?
Have a great weekend, all!
You are either up very early or haven't gone to bed yet! Chickens--gotta love 'em, don't you? I may have an answer to a couple of your issues -- 1. Hens mature at different stages and due to the time of year, all may not lay until next spring. 2. They prefer a secure, dark box to lay -- the one they are all choosing must be the best one - they had a meeting about it and didn't invite you. 3. My theory on laying in one box -- the last one on and stays gets to raise a brood of chicks -- she doesn't know or care if they are here own or someone elses'. Mine do it all the time. Drives me crazy. Glad you're feeling better -- don't over this weekend.
ReplyDelete@s_vandemore: I work a graveyard shift, which allows me to take care of the critters during the day. Motto: "Sleep? Who needs sleep?"
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on the chickens, makes sense! Especially since Blondie wouldn't leave the nest yesterday morning. She got all growly when I took out the eggs from underneath her. Hah! Souffle is mine, wench!
Too funny! My chickens do the same darn thing with the nesting boxes. I just thought they were retards not that all chickens behaved in this manner.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are feeling better.
ummm....you do know your EE's could lay white, brown, pink or any shade in between right? (Unless you have the true rumpless pure-bred auracanas, not bought at a hatchery that is.) On a good note though, some of ours were a bit late to get going too, so there's still hope!!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, they pick their favorite boxes and they ALL lay there. We have 18 hens and they only ever use 3 boxes!!! (Sometimes they're 3deep in there too silly birds!)