First eggs and very squaky hen

[rosemarythyme]

My girls aren’t broody at present, but this gave me a chuckle. I put fake eggs in the nesting area for my girls when I moved them to a new “coop.” They speet on these deceptive presumptuous egg pretenders. They do lay in their designated areas, but however many times I put them back, they manage to toss the fake eggs far and wide. They never bother the real ones. Go figure.

Every flock is different - apparently yours are more discerning than mine!

My fakes used to be a pair of mismatched golf balls I found sitting in the yard. One time when I cleaned out the nest box I didn't bother putting them back in. My EE headed into the box as soon as I was done, took one look, then shot out of it squawking like it was on fire. She wouldn't settle down until I put the golf balls back in, then immediately went in to lay.

 

[CindyinSD]

Every flock is different - apparently yours are more discerning than mine!

My fakes used to be a pair of mismatched golf balls I found sitting in the yard. One time when I cleaned out the nest box I didn't bother putting them back in. My EE headed into the box as soon as I was done, took one look, then shot out of it squawking like it was on fire. She wouldn't settle down until I put the golf balls back in, then immediately went in to lay.

They’re sooo funny!

 

[vnycum]

So at this point I had expected to get my first eggs who knows when and I was not checking the hen house every day.
TOday one hen was acting weird, she is usualy one of the ones mobbing me for treats and follows me around, but today she stayed away from the group during treat time and was just making a long squack call. then she ran in hen house and sat in the corner.

I went inside the house to clean up and wen t back outside and she wasnt in the hen house anymore, so I opened it and found 3 eggs! I had no idea any were laying, so I took them and ran ijnto house leaving the hen house open.

When I came back outsied all the chickens were in the hen house except for the one who had been sitting on eggs. SHe was running back and forth with neck stretched sqawkin at me, like she was straight really upset. I fed her some greens, but dont know if I am in the clear now. Is she mad at me forever now? Is she broody alrerady? is this just normal behavior of chickens? Im going to be checking everyday from now on, just hope I didnt get off on a bad foot.

Same thing happened to me today. I saw one of my RIR nesting in the coop. I checked 20 minutes later a Barr Rock was nesting and the RIR was long gone. I checked again and there weren’t any hens. However, there were three little eggs! Unlike your girl, mine aren’t sticking around claiming ownership. But, I think chickens are pretty forgiving. I step on mine from time to time and they’ll continue to get under my feet.

 

[CindyinSD]

Same thing happened to me today. I saw one of my RIR nesting in the coop. I checked 20 minutes later a Barr Rock was nesting and the RIR was long gone. I checked again and there weren’t any hens. However, there were three little eggs! Unlike your girl, mine aren’t sticking around claiming ownership. But, I think chickens are pretty forgiving. I step on mine from time to time and they’ll continue to get under my feet.

It’s almost impossible to avoid stepping on them.