Until you know your girls patterns I'd give her a few days before she gets eggs. I know my girls, if they sit through the night on nothing but air they are committed and get eggs that day. Once they sit they stay and so far no one has quit on me except Henrietta. It was not Henrietta's fault though as her nest got discovered and busted up.
I knew when my little gal would run back to the nest box and made sounds like in The Exorcist!

Just in case though I also let her sister stay broody 😄
 
Ha ha. I am still unwrapping retirement gifts. I am very touched by everyone’s good wishes and consequently a bit weepy.
So far my first 3 months will be spent unwrapping gifts most of which contain things designed to take up my time in various fun ways!

View attachment 2949116
Happy retirement! I am working on Freedom 95.....
 
Mine love the run getting some wet because it brings up the worms!
Yes, the summer aviary runs - two tall greenhouse frames 10x13 feet that I easily moved around were great for that! And they did get out and about the other day when it was warm, saw one get a small slug from under wet leaves. At present the wire Big Run, which may remain where it is now permanently, or maybe I will move it to live on better soil and have good tree shade for summer, has some but not much of a population of critters under it. But now the ground is frozen again, today was very cold, the warmest it got was 13F (-10C) and now it is about 8F (-13C).
 
Poultry DVM has it on its safe list and I haven't found it on a toxic list anywhere. Mine have interacted with them and tend to ignore them - but they do provide good cover for the ladies.
The biggest concern I have heard is that they can be invasive and some US States have banned them for that reason. They do reseed like crazy but I already have that problem so not sure this will make that worse!
http://www.poultrydvm.com/nontoxic.php
Hmm, unfortunately, I have never had that problem (reseeding...would love a couple more). Wonder if it is the specific variety...or local weather conditions. Mine die back to roots each winter here.

You could add some of the very large Hostas to their area. They are edible (some varieties they like, some they don't) and the really large ones will give them cover, too, and tolerate shade as well.
 
Hmm, unfortunately, I have never had that problem (reseeding...would love a couple more). Wonder if it is the specific variety...or local weather conditions. Mine die back to roots each winter here.

You could add some of the very large Hostas to their area. They are edible (some varieties they like, some they don't) and the really large ones will give them cover, too, and tolerate shade as well.
I love hostas - it may be a bit too sunny for them - but worth a try.
 

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