Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls, Hens and Rooster...we have achieved...oviposition. The purpose of all our hard work, and planning, and research, and more hard work, has come to fruition. The egg production facility and it's well cared for inhabitants has begun to earn it's place in our garden. So it begins. Like most great things, it started small....very small. About half the size of normal egg. We don't have an egg scale yet, however, here is a nice little pic of it.
Here is the bewildered mother and her egg. We thought she was far along, but not this far. She is a White Leghorn. We call her Speedy. We understand many flocks have a Speedy. We understand they earn that name. Ours did. We had the feeling she would be the first to lay. She has been squatting for a couple of days, and we knew we needed to get those egg boxes and false eggs in, but we missed that timing by just a bit. So she laid right in the middle of the run. She was pacing around it, a little bemused, and confused, and fiddled with it a bit, before we gathered it.
The proud chicken keepers. We were heading out to a day at a local state park, and in a rush, but all else went on hold for our first egg!
So, since she laid in the middle of the run, and we need to get those main nest boxes finished TOMORROW! we've contrived a temp box of a milk crate, with some shredded paper and lined with pine straw and leaves. We added some aromatic, peppermint sprigs, lavender, red clover flowers, and two plastic play eggs. I covered it up in the corner with some bark and branches, to make it a little private and keep the other birds off it. Did it quick as the night fell, and maybe she will get the point tomorrow. We shall see.
For now this will have to do. Yes Ma'am, Mrs. Speedy Leghorn, we are getting right to that nest box building. Straight to it Ma'am! However, should any of you wish to see our progress thus far, my photo album of our build is in my sig file.
Happy Egg Laying from the Fowl at Flora Vale!
Here is the bewildered mother and her egg. We thought she was far along, but not this far. She is a White Leghorn. We call her Speedy. We understand many flocks have a Speedy. We understand they earn that name. Ours did. We had the feeling she would be the first to lay. She has been squatting for a couple of days, and we knew we needed to get those egg boxes and false eggs in, but we missed that timing by just a bit. So she laid right in the middle of the run. She was pacing around it, a little bemused, and confused, and fiddled with it a bit, before we gathered it.
The proud chicken keepers. We were heading out to a day at a local state park, and in a rush, but all else went on hold for our first egg!
So, since she laid in the middle of the run, and we need to get those main nest boxes finished TOMORROW! we've contrived a temp box of a milk crate, with some shredded paper and lined with pine straw and leaves. We added some aromatic, peppermint sprigs, lavender, red clover flowers, and two plastic play eggs. I covered it up in the corner with some bark and branches, to make it a little private and keep the other birds off it. Did it quick as the night fell, and maybe she will get the point tomorrow. We shall see.
For now this will have to do. Yes Ma'am, Mrs. Speedy Leghorn, we are getting right to that nest box building. Straight to it Ma'am! However, should any of you wish to see our progress thus far, my photo album of our build is in my sig file.
Happy Egg Laying from the Fowl at Flora Vale!
