I just peered out my window and saw THREE naughty birds on the wrong side of the fence, hanging out by the neighbor's house. I'm trying to break them of the habit but the fence itsn't tall enough. I went over to re-route them to find there were actually four birds-two chickens and two turkeys. The curious turkeys often jump the fence and sometimes manage to get back home themselves, but the chickens, who jump the fence much less frequently, have always needed to be hustled back by me.
So I opened the fence and shooed the chickens back one by one. The Tom turkey and the hen looked oddly indifferent to me, not beeping pathetically like they so often do when they're caught on the wrong side. The hen was snuggled in a pile of leaves, with Tom guarding. I sent them home, only to find 13 eggs in the leaves! Aha! I find a turkey egg here and there in the pen or on my porch but this was crazy. I've never even seen anyone hunkered down outside the pens/coops. Then as I was picking those up, I saw a pile of 6 blue eggs several feet away, by the door to the cellar! So one of my EE's has been going back and forth of her own accord. Good thing the neighbor's are cool, though I'm sure if they'd seen the eggs they would have said something, but it's by a seldom used part of their house/yard. God only knows where else there may be stashes. All birds come in to their respective pens houses every night and a head check is done, so I don't expect any juniors. I suppose this could be more problematic in the spring if they're more intent on being broody. Good thing my silkies can't jump the fence-they'd love to find a ready pile of eggs to sit on!
I did the float test and all the eggs sank. The temps here have been in the 20's-40's. Some were pretty dirty but none cracked. Is it OK to eat them?
So I opened the fence and shooed the chickens back one by one. The Tom turkey and the hen looked oddly indifferent to me, not beeping pathetically like they so often do when they're caught on the wrong side. The hen was snuggled in a pile of leaves, with Tom guarding. I sent them home, only to find 13 eggs in the leaves! Aha! I find a turkey egg here and there in the pen or on my porch but this was crazy. I've never even seen anyone hunkered down outside the pens/coops. Then as I was picking those up, I saw a pile of 6 blue eggs several feet away, by the door to the cellar! So one of my EE's has been going back and forth of her own accord. Good thing the neighbor's are cool, though I'm sure if they'd seen the eggs they would have said something, but it's by a seldom used part of their house/yard. God only knows where else there may be stashes. All birds come in to their respective pens houses every night and a head check is done, so I don't expect any juniors. I suppose this could be more problematic in the spring if they're more intent on being broody. Good thing my silkies can't jump the fence-they'd love to find a ready pile of eggs to sit on!
I did the float test and all the eggs sank. The temps here have been in the 20's-40's. Some were pretty dirty but none cracked. Is it OK to eat them?
