Okay, we got our 3rd egg yesterday, just after noon, and in the nesting box. Woot woot!! And today, our 4th egg, also in the same nesting box! The funny part is, I was sure it was one of my RIRs that was laying these eggs. But today, I caught the real layer in the act.
I went and hung out by the coop after 1 pm, knowing another egg could come at any time. My Black Australorp, named Timi, was acting crazy! She was hopping up on things, and hopping down. Hopping up, and hopping down. Running in the coop, and running back out. Getting in the nesting box, and getting back out. All the while, she is squawking loudly. After a few minutes of this, she went in the coop and we heard her jump up into the nesting box where we found yesterday's egg. It was then quiet, for about 25 minutes! She didn't come out, and she didn't make a sound except to rustle the wood shavings in the box every few minutes. After the 25 minutes, we heard her jump down from the box and she came out into the run and got a drink. No "I laid you an egg!" squawk, either! She just quietly got a drink and started eating some grass. I went to the egg doors, opened them, and there lay a perfect little pinkish-brown egg! One of my daughters yelled, "Timi, you did it!!"
Here is a pic of Timi, and her 3rd and 4th eggs. (3rd is on the left, 4th on the right.) As you can see, she doesn't have a very large comb, but it is red, just not as big as I expected!
I went and hung out by the coop after 1 pm, knowing another egg could come at any time. My Black Australorp, named Timi, was acting crazy! She was hopping up on things, and hopping down. Hopping up, and hopping down. Running in the coop, and running back out. Getting in the nesting box, and getting back out. All the while, she is squawking loudly. After a few minutes of this, she went in the coop and we heard her jump up into the nesting box where we found yesterday's egg. It was then quiet, for about 25 minutes! She didn't come out, and she didn't make a sound except to rustle the wood shavings in the box every few minutes. After the 25 minutes, we heard her jump down from the box and she came out into the run and got a drink. No "I laid you an egg!" squawk, either! She just quietly got a drink and started eating some grass. I went to the egg doors, opened them, and there lay a perfect little pinkish-brown egg! One of my daughters yelled, "Timi, you did it!!"
Here is a pic of Timi, and her 3rd and 4th eggs. (3rd is on the left, 4th on the right.) As you can see, she doesn't have a very large comb, but it is red, just not as big as I expected!
