ANNIE CLEANING TODAY

[Kikiriki]

I would love some input from experienced folks!

One of my girls, Annie, laid her first egg two days ago, but skipped yeasterday. (Sandy, the other one now laying laid both days).

Today, Annie is hanging out near the nest box, but is walking arounf picking up feathers and sticks and tossing them onto her back! It is too cute! But I'm worried she thinks she is building her own nest and will lay on the ground instead of in the nest box, which is where I found her first egg. i thought she had simply had her butt hanging over the board at the front of the nest box, but maybe she doesn't like the box? She sits in it, though, but then leaves and does more feather tossing.

Is she tidying up her space? Trying to create her own nest? Both?

On the plus side, at least she came in from the yard when she started feeling egg pressure, both Sunday and today. i was worried she had eshewed the nest box for a spot in the yard yeasterday, but she never acted yeasterday as if she had an egg on the way.

 

[Kikiriki]

Whew...she went back in the nest box! But I still would love to hear your opinions and experiences.

And one more question...do the chickens get upset with you for taking their eggs? I think I got stink eye when I took the eggs!

Do you sneak the eggs out, or do they get used to this happening?

 

[Den in Penn]

If she laid in the box the first time she likely will follow in the box. Most of them don't care when you take the eggs. Some may be a little concerned and not know why. They do get used the gathering of the eggs. Oh and broodys do get disturbed if you take their eggs, can you imagine that?

 

[terryg]

She's broody. She'll probably hunker down in a nesting box and stop laying, get all huffed up and growly and be a general pain in the neck. You can stop broodiness by putting her in an anti-broody coop. I have an explanation and photos here:
http://hencam.com/faq/the-broody-hen/

 

[Den in Penn]

A new layer like that often throws material around without being broody. Not saying she isn't, but more likely not. I think you will know in a few days.

 

[Kikiriki]

She did not go broody on me, happily. But it may be something she is prone to since the other girls haven't behaved like this. As of today, all three of my girls are laying! Yippee!! We have already had eggs for supper three times, and I just gave eggs to my folks yesterday.

Store bought eggs make me horribly gassy so I had quit eating them. My girls eggs have not given me gas at all. I believe it is related to diet and maybe to not getting any chemical treatment or medicines. I do not give them prepared chicken food, I use mealworms and birdseed, as well as allowing them to range for bugs and greens in the yard.