Fairy egg annoying easter hunt

[BigBlueHen53]

I favor golf balls mostly because you don't even need to look at them to know it's not an egg, the dimpling is a giveaway even if you're grabbing eggs from underneath a hen.

X 2!

 

[Finchbreeder]

The laying of 1st eggs on a "oops what just happened" basis is common with mum's 1st time mum show budgies too.
The problem with the budgies is this frequently happens from a perch, so the egg is cracked or dented when found in the sand.

 

[CabritaChicks]

Two part question:

1. We are still getting smaller eggs
Total small eggs thus far is 7

The two dark ones were laid yesterday or early this AM inches away from the entrance of the nest box. So we are getting closer to the target zone. It also likely means my rooster at 14 weeks is fertile since those eggs are a very rich darker brown? (rooster is marans, leghorn, splash mix who hatched from an extremely dark chocolate egg).

The two lighter ones sunday/monday in random places. I put a extra large egg from the supermarket in there for comparison to take this photo.

2. Missing in Action

Yesterday around 3 p.m., one of my Rhode Island Reds went missing. She’s the loudest of the bunch, the first to lay an egg, and by far the friendliest—she’ll even hop right into your lap. (Yes, she’s the favorite.)

She didn’t show up for their usual afternoon cool treat, which immediately struck me as odd. I waited for her to return to the coop, but by dusk there was still no sign of her. We searched the property as thoroughly as we could.

This morning, we spent over three hours combing the area—checking trees, brush, and even trying to navigate through the mangroves. The property is mostly undeveloped, so it’s not easy to move around in certain parts.

I attached photos of the rest of the flock on one side of the property. I was looking for Indigo- and they followed me- they always follow me and come when called. But you can see some of the thicker landscape.

We don’t really have natural predators here. There are no raccoons, foxes, stray dogs, or cats (and the small Caribbean coop cats wouldn’t bother with a full-grown chicken anyway), or water dwelling creatures. We’ve also got motion sensors for both day and night. The only thing caught on camera yesterday was a pygmy deer and her fawn from the nearby salt pond.

The entire property is relatively well fenced. The only unusual thing yesterday was some heavy construction—massive boulders being delivered (the size of ATVs) on the far side of the couple acre property. But the construction crew is wonderful—they even helped me search this morning as soon as they arrived. Although last night I went into full fury mode and made accusations to my husband that someone stole her as she is stupid friendly and spoiled.

So we assume maybe yesterday she went to lay somewhere else? but still at nearly 9am has not returned to the rest of the closely knit (no bullying) flock.

I'm thinking egg-bond and hiding? Or wanting to stay on her jungle nest? I am just looking for some reassurance.

 

[CabritaChicks]

Some people have suggested that she might have been stolen.
There was so many people that came here to delivery things yesterday, in beat-up cares only here for 30 minutes, and two trespassers.

I can’t say for sure yet—but there is a suspicious listing someone came across. Someone is selling a single Rhode Island Red in Frenchman Hills (not an area anyone wants to be). They claim she’s “super tame” (which is unusual here—most birds are raised in small cages for livestock, not handled like pets), and they mention she “looks pure RIR” (also rare here unless someone paid to import them from the mainland). They’re asking for a big bucks (100 bucks), and she’s being kept in the back of a pickup truck, inside a dog kennel, covered with a tarp being sold with local catch fish and used power tools.

I keep telling myself she has to show up for at least one meal in a 24-hour window, right?

I’m honestly freaking out. I am a white woman, not welcome in that area. I will know her by her comb in a instant.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I'm really sorry about Indigo. I would probably be suspicious of the listing as well, but to be honest, anything could have happened to her. You mentioned having trespassers... someone could be on your property with their off-leash dog, and that's all it takes.

You could try the police, especially if you have a photo with identifying markers. The worst that could happen is they blow you off.

 

[CabritaChicks]

I'm really sorry about Indigo. I would probably be suspicious of the listing as well, but to be honest, anything could have happened to her. You mentioned having trespassers... someone could be on your property with their off-leash dog, and that's all it takes.

You could try the police, especially if you have a photo with identifying markers. The worst that could happen is they blow you off.

There really aren’t any off-leash dogs here. In general, dogs aren’t commonly kept as companions—when they are present, it’s typically for property protection, not recreational walks. People don’t travel with their dogs like you might see elsewhere.

Our property is fully enclosed by a six-foot fence, with access only through the front gate or by sea. And reaching it from the water would mean swimming in—there’s no way to bring a boat in unnoticed, especially with our motion-sensor cameras monitoring the shoreline.

At the time she went missing, the gate was open to allow construction crews in. Unfortunately, we’ve had incidents before with trespassers—typically individuals looking to steal tools or equipment. In this case, some Haitians were seen on the property halfway down the driveway. I want to be clear this isn’t about race—it’s simply a reality here. On this island, there have been ongoing issues with opportunistic theft during active construction, and yes, sometimes chickens are taken too—usually for resale (the expensive ones). That said Haitians, they typically target the wild, skinny junglefowl that roam around town—you can sometimes even see people chasing them with nets in town.

As for law enforcement... well, let’s just say it’s not reliable. Our local police station is barely functioning—literally the door is held together with duct tape, no A/C, and very limited resources. Non-violent crimes like theft, break-ins, or missing animals aren’t really followed up on. The police here are mostly focused on violent incidents, and our government is so corrupt I had a politican threaten me because I wouldnt let him store his boat on my property. Unfortunately, that’s just how things operate in a system plagued by deep corruption and neglect.

Just please keep me in your thoughts- or should I say Indigo in your thoughts.

 

[thecatumbrella]

There really aren’t any off-leash dogs here. In general, dogs aren’t commonly kept as companions—when they are present, it’s typically for property protection, not recreational walks. People don’t travel with their dogs like you might see elsewhere.

Our property is fully enclosed by a six-foot fence, with access only through the front gate or by sea. And reaching it from the water would mean swimming in—there’s no way to bring a boat in unnoticed, especially with our motion-sensor cameras monitoring the shoreline.

At the time she went missing, the gate was open to allow construction crews in. Unfortunately, we’ve had incidents before with trespassers—typically individuals looking to steal tools or equipment. In this case, some Haitians were seen on the property halfway down the driveway. I want to be clear this isn’t about race—it’s simply a reality here. On this island, there have been ongoing issues with opportunistic theft during active construction, and yes, sometimes chickens are taken too—usually for resale (the expensive ones). That said Haitians, they typically target the wild, skinny junglefowl that roam around town—you can sometimes even see people chasing them with nets in town.

As for law enforcement... well, let’s just say it’s not reliable. Our local police station is barely functioning—literally the door is held together with duct tape, no A/C, and very limited resources. Non-violent crimes like theft, break-ins, or missing animals aren’t really followed up on. The police here are mostly focused on violent incidents, and our government is so corrupt I had a politican threaten me because I wouldnt let him store his boat on my property. Unfortunately, that’s just how things operate in a system plagued by deep corruption and neglect.

Just please keep me in your thoughts- or should I say Indigo in your thoughts.

Wow. With all that said, I would have to assume the worst. I'm really sorry. I spent my first few years living in a very poor area, racially divided area, and learned pretty quickly that poverty breeds desperation.

Hoping she just shows back up.

 

[FrostRanger]

Sorry to hear about indigo

It can be months before eggs start getting to a "normal" size, for now just enjoy the pullet eggs

Egg color has nothing to do with being fertilized or not, it depends entirely on the hen

 

[CabritaChicks]

Sorry to hear about indigo

It can be months before eggs start getting to a "normal" size, for now just enjoy the pullet eggs

Egg color has nothing to do with being fertilized or not, it depends entirely on the hen

Thank you.

I means, I thought RIR's had light brown eggs. I know my Marans was a dark chocolate egg. So I assume if they both mixed, then it would be dark colored eggs? Maybe that is for another post.

 

[FrostRanger]

Thank you.

I means, I thought RIR's had light brown eggs. I know my Marans was a dark chocolate egg. So I assume if they both mixed, then it would be dark colored eggs? Maybe that is for another post.

Egg color can vary from bird to bird, and can change a little (in terms of the exact shade, a brown layer will always lay brown eggs but it might be darker early season than it is late season) through the season. A rooster only can affect a hen's egg color in that he passes on whatever genes he has that affects egg color to his daughters. He cannot affect a hen's egg color by just mating with her, at that point it's all on the hen