Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Aha!

 

[RoyalChick]

They did that so that they can have a snack while sunbathing on the deck!

Ha! My thoughts exactly, you got there first.

 

[RoyalChick]

Aha!
View attachment 2323656

Caught in the act!

 

[BY Bob]

Nest Building

She is serious about this.

 

[Ribh]

Nest Building

She is serious about this.

You've sent a precedent, Bob. Now in the name of justice, they will all want their turn!

 

[Ribh]

Will we be needing masks for that?

Up to you, Shad. I know you've got one. If you'd like to model it for the rest of us, well, feel free...

 

[BY Bob]

You've sent a precedent, Bob. Now in the name of justice, they will all want their turn!

Nooooooo!

 

[BY Bob]

This is not the spot you have been looking for!

Phyllis laid her egg in this spot but only today.

 

[Shadrach]

The nest box is empty!
Tap has gone up in my estimation and sucker that I am, my affections.
She's been thrown off her next twice today. The final straw was Fudge chucking her off and then not leaving once she's laid her egg.
When I came in this evening Tap was wandering around outside making occasional forays into the house. She wasn't showing any interest in getting back into the nest box. After a brief round of leg pecking hoping for a bit of walnut, much to my surprise, she jumped onto my lap as I sat by the work table and proceeded to make herself comfortable. She was there a while watching me polish. I expected her to head for the nest box as dusk closed in but instead she hung around outside until I went to give Jenny and Solomon supper, following me up the bank and then she made the last open ground dash to the coop.
Abandoning the nest shows more intelligence than most humans can muster. A while back in this thread we dealt with, sit and set.
Hens set their eggs for a reason. All the possible reasons are not clear yet. Once those eggs are disturbed, obviously, they are no longer set. They need to remain undisturbed for three days.
Having other hens laying in your nest means the eggs get moved about and often broken in the tussles to keep the eggs under their bodies. Add to this if this goes on for a few days you have the possibility of an epic staggered hatch.
None of this is good. The wise thing to do for a hen that can't defend her nest is to make a nest where the other hens are much less likely to find it. I think I have some Tap nest hunting ahead of me.

 

[BY Bob]

The nest box is empty!
Tap has gone up in my estimation and sucker that I am, my affections.
She's been thrown off her next twice today. The final straw was Fudge chucking her off and then not leaving once she's laid her egg.
When I came in this evening Tap was wandering around outside making occasional forays into the house. She wasn't showing any interest in getting back into the nest box. After a brief round of leg pecking hoping for a bit of walnut, much to my surprise, she jumped onto my lap as I sat by the work table and proceeded to make herself comfortable. She was there a while watching me polish. I expected her to head for the nest box as dusk closed in but instead she hung around outside until I went to give Jenny and Solomon supper, following me up the bank and then she made the last open ground dash to the coop.
Abandoning the nest shows more intelligence than most humans can muster. A while back in this thread we dealt with, sit and set.
Hens set their eggs for a reason. All the possible reasons are not clear yet. Once those eggs are disturbed, obviously, they are no longer set. They need to remain undisturbed for three days.
Having other hens laying in your nest means the eggs get moved about and often broken in the tussles to keep the eggs under their bodies. Add to this if this goes on for a few days you have the possibility of an epic staggered hatch.
None of this is good. The wise thing to do for a hen that can't defend her nest is to make a nest where the other hens are much less likely to find it. I think I have some Tap nest hunting ahead of me.

Good luck with the nest hunting. I'm glad she is wising up.

I am starting to fear that my ladies are laying under the deck. I may have to pull up some deck boards!